Destiny Rewritten
by yukuro
Summary: After a short life of peace in Konoha, Sasuke is kidnapped away by his brother, his memories erased. Naruto won't let him go, but what are Itachi's true intentions...? [ItachixSasuke . ItaSasu]
1. Phase One

**Disclaimer:** I claim no ownership of Naruto

**Pairing:** Itachi x Sasuke

Destiny Rewritten

By: yukuro

Phase One: Impending "If"

Lazy summer beams of sunlight had engulfed Konoha Gakure in a wave of sleepy warmth, drawing out dragonflies and making the air swim with ripples of heat. It was unmistakably summer and the villagers were cheerfully taking advantage of the sweltering, but sometimes-pleasant warmth. An easy feeling of comfort hung in the air, giving the villagers a slight buzz of cheerful excitement. There was, however, at least one villager that still hung about gloomily and aloofly.

Uchiha Sasuke hated summer. He pretty much hated everything, but summer particularly was deeply hated. Summer was the time in the past that he spent the most time at home with his family, his loving mother, strong father, and once kind brother. Summer had too many memories. Uchiha Sasuke hated summer.

He was lying on his bed in the darkness of his apartment when various thundering knocks sounded at his door. Sasuke contemplated to simply ignore the pounding at the door completely, but the sound of his window being pulled open and the curtains being pushed back made him wince at the sudden sunlight. Thoroughly annoyed, he scowled at the figure leaning casually in from the window.

"So," Kakashi began cheerfully, tapping his student's nose, "when are you going to open the door for your dear teammates, Sasuke?"

"Never," Sasuke replied with a frown, reaching out to shut the window. Before he could do so however, Kakashi easily jumped in and patted the boy on his head. Sasuke glared at the jounin before shutting the window and drawing the curtains closed again. "This is breaking and entering, kuso jounin."

"Such mean words from such a cute mouth," tsked Kakashi cheerfully as he headed towards the front door to stop the thunderous knocking. "Don't you know you should treat your elders with respect?"

Sasuke simply glared at his supposedly esteemed elder as the front door was opened and more unwelcome visitors barged in.

"Finally!" Naruto exclaimed with a growl of frustration as he stepped in. Crossing his arms, he commented, "Sasuke must be going deaf."

"Or maybe he just didn't want us coming in," Sakura, ever the observant one, muttered. "Sorry, Sasuke-kun."

Before Sasuke could promptly kick them all out, Kakashi opened his mouth to speak again. "Don't be ridiculous, Sakura! Sasuke just _loves_ his teammates, and he's _very_ happy to have us all over and is now going to get us some tea. Isn't that right, Sasuke?"

If looks could kill, Kakashi might have died then. Still with a deep-set frown upon his lips, Sasuke stopped off to the kitchen to prepare tea.

"He doesn't look very happy to see us," Naruto put in, frowning slightly. His blue eyes followed Sasuke's rather stiff movement into the kitchen. "How ungrateful. We just came to discuss _his_ sixteenth birthday."

Sasuke froze and lowered his head. His grip tightened on the teapot as anger and annoyance began to boil up within him.

"Ah, well, he's just cute that way, isn't he?" Kakashi commented loudly as his eyes trailed towards the kitchen. He could just feel Sasuke's extreme dislike for him at the moment. Although chances were high that the dark haired boy had simply forgotten completely about his own birthday. "Anyway, that's enough about that, Naruto."

When Sasuke returned, he slammed the tea tray on the table before briskly walking towards the door.

"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura called out in confusion after him. "Where are you going?"

"Since you three insist on staying here," Sasuke muttered darkly before stepping out, "I'll go away."

Once the door shut with a click, Naruto felt his eyes narrow at the door as his lips were pressed together into a thin line. The quiet chatter between Sakura and Kakashi faded out in his mind as his thoughts engulfed him.

Sasuke had been acting awkwardly the entire month. In fact, it may have been since summer began. He had always been somewhat antisocial but he never would have left if his teammates had specifically come to visit him. Naruto knew Sasuke was cold, but Sasuke was never that cold. His icy behavior contrasted heavily against the high temperatures of the burning summer days.

He was slipping away. Naruto could feel it. Whether it was a premonition or the very beginning of the problem, Naruto felt the now common awkward unsettlement in his stomach whenever Sasuke's gaze grew cold. The most unsettling part of it all, was that when that gaze grew gradually colder, they seemed utterly soulless, much like that of the very person Sasuke had sworn to kill.

Lips flattening into a thin line, Naruto narrowed his brows and stomped out the door after his teammate, leaving Sakura and Kakashi alone in Sasuke's home. Sasuke was being unpleasant and inconsiderate, and there was nothing Naruto wanted more than to beat the other boy into the ground. If only he could not feel the iciness near the edges of Sasuke's soul, that was what Naruto would have done.

It took little time to find the other boy, Naruto noticed. Sasuke had grown accustomed to being in the branches of a tree. As he stepped up to his teammate, Naruto forced a smile onto his face. Hiding his grimace with all his might, Naruto began in an awkwardly cheerful tone, "Don't be so disagreeable, Sasuke. Sakura-chan and Kakashi-sensei are only thinking about you."

As Sasuke promptly ignored him, Naruto found it more and more difficult to not add "you bastard" at the end of every sentence he spoke. Clearing his throat, he went on, "You never said, by the way, what it is you want for your birthday. Is there anything you wish for?"

Eyes sliding shut for a moment, Sasuke clutched the bark of the tree as his anger and anguish washed over him. As much as he hated it, the image of his brother flashed through his mind. Rising to his feet, he muttered darkly, "The only thing I wish for is something no one can give me."

"Sasuke," Naruto began, tone becoming slightly softer, "you're not alone anymore, don't forget. Even though we're rivals, I still think of you as my friend. Because of that…I want to see the future with you."

Sasuke paused for a long time, silently contemplating Naruto's words. Somehow, those words that should have seemed comforting and warm made him feel cold pain instead. Squeezing his eyes shut, he could only mutter before he rose and took off again, "If the past had not occurred, I would be able to say the same."

In the deepest remnants of his heart, Sasuke feared loneliness and never wanted to leave his friends' side. However, the greater part of his heart forbade him continue such weakness and push hit all away. He was an avenger, and such a duty called for loneliness. No one else was to help him despite how he may have longed for a comforting presence. No matter how painfully Naruto smiled at him, Sasuke had to push him away. His existence could only burn for one person.

He spent the rest of the day lying on the highest branch of a tree near the outskirts of Konoha. The sun circled the earth around him before finally settling on the rocky mountains in the distance. The sun's red glow and the summer's gentle breeze made Sasuke feel at ease and peace, a fleeting feeling that quickly died away as fast as it had come. Leaves blew about before his face, and Sasuke frowned visibly. Someone was disturbing his rare moment of peace.

Not bothering to open an eye, Sasuke scowled coolly, "What do you want, Naruto? Or rather, why are you bothering me again?"

Leaping up onto the thick branch that Sasuke laid upon, Naruto eyed his teammate admiringly for catching his presence immediately. The blond offered a sheepish grin when Sasuke's eyes opened a slit to stare sharply at him, demanding a response. "Sasuke," he began slowly, blue eyes matching Sasuke's dark ones evenly, "please come home with me."

There was silence for a few moments as the wind quietly whistled. Finally breaking away from Naruto's gaze, Sasuke closed his eyes again and rolled slightly to the side. Stonily, he stated, "I'll go back when I feel like it."

Naruto flinched slightly at Sasuke's sharp tone and the noticeable lack of the word "home." Usually, his anger would have gotten the better of him, but today was different. He was on a mission, after all. Seriously, he ignored the other boy's previous comment and continued to coax, "This is serious, Sasuke. Consider it a mission."

"Don't give me 'missions' until _after_ you actually become Hokage, if you ever do," Sasuke snapped coldly in response, making the blond frown. Sasuke's irritability from the morning had not faded, and predictably, Naruto was beginning to lose his patience.

"I really hate you sometimes," Naruto scowled, frown gracing his face. He knew better than anyone Sasuke's cold nature and how well he hid his feelings most of the time, but Naruto could not help but get frustrated at times. He had done his best all day to forget the painful look in Sasuke's eyes when they parted in the morning, but the vision seemed to stick in his mind. If anything, Naruto wanted to see Sasuke smile, or even smirk. Anything was better than seeing those angry and despaired eyes.

In one swift motion, Naruto took hold of Sasuke's hand and pulled him to his feet. Barely giving the dark haired boy to glare vehemently at him, Naruto jumped from tree to tree back towards the main city with Sasuke's hand still tightly grasped in his own. Sasuke was going to kill him later, Naruto knew, but he still held on tightly.

Sasuke was feeling murderous as Naruto dragged him back towards his house. His mind was telling him to wrench his hand out of Naruto's grasp immediately and get the other boy to leave him alone, but it was a rare moment in which his body disobeyed his mind's orders. A heavy feeling was settling in his stomach, despite how he tried to ignore it. He had the feeling something was going to happen, and this would probably be the last time he would be able to see Naruto again.

He had already chosen his fate the moment he swore to kill Itachi, Sasuke knew. But just once, he wanted to forget the pain. He still glared with all his might at the back of Naruto's head, and his mind and ego were siding up, hissing that it would better to get away now. Who cared if he were to never see Naruto and those other morons again? Just when his reluctant body began to accept his mind's order, Naruto turned around to grin at him.

"I hate you," Sasuke snapped irritably when they stopped outside of his own house.

"I know, I know," Naruto replied mindlessly, opening the door and pushing Sasuke into the darkened room. "You can hate me all you want later, but right now…"

Naruto swiftly switched on the lights.

"Happy Birthday, Sasuke!" a dozen or so voices yelled out all at once.

A frown set on Sasuke's face when he noticed his—dare he call them—companions scattered about the room with various grins and looks of delight plastered on their faces. There were annoying, variously colored decorations around the room and confetti had been thrown on his hair. Sasuke promptly turned to Naruto and declared again, "I hate you."

As Naruto let out a laugh, the others instantly bounded over to the dark haired boy, thrusting gifts into his arms and shouting out various messages of congratulations. Sasuke attempted to shoot another glare at Naruto, who was presently being complimented by Kiba and Shikamaru for successfully dragging him back. Despite how all others around him were smiling and laughing cheerfully, Sasuke could feel nothing but passiveness settle on his face.

It took several hours for the crowd to finally release Sasuke long enough for the boy to sneak out of the window to sit on the roof. The gleaming midsummer moon stared down at him like an unfaltering eye watching his every move. Sasuke closed his eyes tentatively, but kept his senses alert to allow himself a few moments of rest.

The wind around him whistled softly for a moment, giving him the illusion that he would be able to enjoy the peace for a while, but as fate would have it, Sasuke soon found himself glaring up at Naruto's smiling face again. The blond boy's body blocked Sasuke's view of the round midsummer moon, strangely relieving him somewhat. Sasuke hated when he was being scrutinized too closely, even by the moon.

"What now?" he grumbled, closing his eyes again after resting his hands behind his head.

"You're unhappy," Naruto said blatantly, moving to sit next to the other boy. "I already figured this would be a problem, but I didn't think it would be that big of a deal. Sasuke, it's your birthday. You should at least try to be happy. If not for yourself, at least for others."

"What do others care?" replied Sasuke in a dead tone. "A birthday is just another day as well. Who cares whether I'm just a bit older or not? A birthday only reminds me that another year has passed and my ambition still hasn't been reached. Is that really worth celebrating?"

A pointed frown flittered across Naruto's lips for a moment before he sighed. Truthfully, he admitted, "Honestly, Sasuke, I think you're a conceited jerk most of the time, but more than that, I definitely know you're a good person. It's not shameful to fear being alone. I would know, wouldn't I? You don't have to doom yourself to your ambition. Let others care about you a little. It's not like it'll hurt you."

"What's your point?" Sasuke asked icily.

"My _point_ is," Naruto faintly growled before his tone softened again, "Even if you're not, I'm glad you were born. Just tell me, Sasuke. What will it take for you to smile on this day?"

Another brief silence passed between them. As the atmosphere between them turned slightly colder, even the moon hid behind the clouds to escape the tension. Sitting up, Sasuke turned to glare coldly at the other boy.

"Tell _me_ then, Naruto. Can you raise the dead? The only thing I would ever want is to have my family back."

For a fleeting moment, the image of Itachi flittered through Naruto's mind when Sasuke mentioned his family. It felt as if Sasuke had pressed the image into Naruto's mind through their connecting gazes as he spoke. It seemed, Naruto thought bitterly, Sasuke would never be able to let his obsession with Itachi fade. It was not as if he was unable to, Naruto realized with a bit of despair. Sasuke simply did not _want_ to let go of his memories of his brother.

Standing to return back into the house when he heard Sakura shout out to look for him, Naruto quietly turned his back on his friend. With the moon still shadowed, Naruto said quietly, "Sasuke… Kakashi-sensei, Sakura-chan, and I… We're your family now, and to me, you're the only family I know. Just don't forget that."

Tone cold and glare just as icy, Sasuke muttered, "If the past had not occurred, I would have a real family."

"But the past _did_ occur," Naruto replied sharply, eyes flashing although Sasuke could not see them. "Accept it, Sasuke. You know better than to expect pity from me for your lack of family. What you should say is that if you didn't love your brother so much, you would be able to accept us."

Anger welled up furiously inside of Sasuke, his sharingan eyes appearing in a flash. But still, Naruto stood calmly without movement, Sasuke's killing aura hardly fazing him.

"Naruto…" Sasuke growled warningly as the other boy turned his head slightly to glare back at him with equally sharp and dangerous eyes.

Before either one could say another word, Sakura popped her head out of the window and gazed up at the two on the roof. Seeming to not notice the heavy tension between the two, she called out, "Naruto! Come down and help us clean up!"

Any other day, Naruto would have complained loudly before actually going down to help, but that night, as Sasuke continued to glare at his back, Naruto jumped nimbly off the roof and back into the house in complete silence. Sasuke would come around, he thought to himself as Sakura shoved a broom into his hands. By the next morning, Sasuke was sure to have forgotten completely about all the stupid things that had happened today. Naruto closed his eyes. They were friends after all, weren't they?

---

The ceiling he stared up at was blank, similar to the expression he wore as he laid on his bed. Finally closing his eyes for a moment, Sasuke rolled to his side. Reopening his eyes again, he gazed out his window just in time to see a dark cloud drift across the moon, making the outside world seem completely black. Sasuke could not remember if he had slept at all yet, his weariness outdone by his restlessness.

In a few hours, the anniversary of the day of his birth would be over. Sasuke had received plenty of gifts he had deemed worthless although he had accepted them without a fight, knowing that Naruto and the others would never let him get away without accepting gifts on his birthday. Of all the things he had received, although expensive some seemed, none of them had value. The only thing Sasuke wanted was the only thing he would never be able to have.

Lifting his arm to drape over his eyes, he remembered Naruto's words. Quietly, he muttered to himself, "The only thing I want, Naruto, the only thing that will make me smile on this day, is to have my family back."

A cold breeze blew into the small bedroom, but Sasuke did not move. His skin tingled, attempting to warn him of something, but his arm suddenly felt too heavy to move at all. Sasuke parted his lips slightly to breathe in the fresh air. Strangely, he felt a phantom touch skim across his lips. His sleepy mind was more than ready to accept the touch as caused by the wind, but when solid lips met his gently, Sasuke instantly snapped his eyes open and threw his arm back to his side.

At the sight before him, Sasuke froze. His breath was trapped in his throat, and his heart felt limp from shock.

"Long time no see, little brother," Itachi said smoothly, licking his lips slightly. His usually sharp and dangerous eyes seemed amused and mocking suddenly. "I suppose I should admonish you for leaving your window open like that and not even noticing when someone stepped in. Still as careless as always."

Clenching his fists, Sasuke glared at his brother's silhouetted frame before reaching under his pillow to pull out a kunai knife. Itachi remained unfazed, even as Sasuke brought the weapon dangerously close to the other's neck. "What the hell," Sasuke began angrily in a slightly choked tone, "are you doing here? Are really you so eager to die?"

"How can I possibly miss today?" Itachi said simply, still with his ever-calm and smooth tone. Closing his eyes and disregarding the weapon that drew closer to his neck, Itachi went on without a care, "I know what you desire. The only thing you want. Don't you know? I'm the only one that can give that to you."

"Shut up," Sasuke snapped in a harsh snarl, eyes narrowing. "For all I care, Uchiha Itachi, you are not my brother. My brother is dead."

"Harsh words, little brother," replied Itachi calmly, eyes still closed. "Since it's your birthday, I guess you deserved to be spoiled for a little bit."

Brightly glinting sharingan eyes snapped open at Sasuke, making the younger Uchiha immobile.

"I suppose," Itachi said slowly, rising to his feet and pulling the kunai out of his brother's frozen hand, "I should give you the gift you've always longed for."

Sasuke wanted to respond. He wanted to yell in fury and lash out and attack. But his body could not move. Slowly, and ever so slowly, his eyelids began to feel heavier. The world around him was growing darker and the sight of the midsummer moon began to fade and grow dim.

"Happy birthday…Sasuke."

The last thing Sasuke remembered seeing was the moon fading behind another dark cloud as Itachi carried him with ease out of his home and out of Konoha Gakure.

Tsuzuku.

--- --- ---

**A/N:** Ok, not much of the pairing in this chapter, but I'm getting there. n.n; This first chapter is kind of uneventful and such, but it was necessary for set up. Ah, but it at least gets more interesting in the next. I hope you'll stick around to read it. :D

Thanks for reading!


	2. Phase Two

**Disclaimer:** no ownership here

**Pairing:** Itachi x Sasuke

Destiny Rewritten

By: yukuro

Phase Two: Restored Beginnings

When Sasuke opened his eyes, the sight of a dark cave ceiling greeted him. He winced slightly when a drop of cold water dripped from the ceiling and landed on his face. Dizzily, he sat up and surveyed his surroundings. Nothing looked familiar, nothing felt familiar, even his thoughts and memories, Sasuke realized, felt empty.

He had no idea where he was, why he was there, and whom he was with. The moment his eyes opened, the only thing his mind processed was his own name and the fact that he was alone.

Closing his eyes, Sasuke let out a soft sigh. He brought his hands up to his head only for his fingers to meet cool metal. Slightly confused, he reached behind his head and untied his headband. Holding it in his hands, Sasuke observed the headband quietly, the Konoha leaf staring boldly back at him.

Konoha. So that was where he was from.

Hearing a shuffle of feet, Sasuke looked up quickly to see a shark-like man in the mouth of the cave. Although some vague memory within him called for him to get as far away from the man as possible, or at least charge and attack, Sasuke simply sat on the cold ground with his headband in his hands. He had no idea who the other person was.

"Itachi-san," the person called over his shoulder, a razor toothed grin shaping his fish lips, "your brother's awake."

Itachi, his mind searched fuzzily. The name was definitely familiar. Dizzily, he gazed forward and squinted as a shorter figure came into view to slowly make his way forward. Finally able to see the face in shorter range, a sea of images crashed into his mind.

"Nii-san?" Sasuke blurted without thinking, his mind still hazy.

Bending down slowly to sit on his knees before the smaller boy, Itachi gazed evenly into Sasuke's confused eyes. Without warning, he smiled the slightest bit, surprising Kisame but jolting Sasuke into ease.

"Aa, Sasuke," Itachi said softly, reaching forward to touch the boy's face. For a moment, he watched in contentment as Sasuke sighed in relief and practically nuzzled his hand. "Sorry I had to leave you alone before you woke up."

"Where is this place?" Sasuke asked groggily, relaxing slightly but mind still a daze. "What's going on? …Who's that guy?"

Itachi was silent for a moment before closing his eyes. "Sasuke," he began quietly, the boy staring back at him rather innocently, "Do you want to kill me?"

"No," Sasuke replied instantly, actually rather surprised. Slowly, he brought his eyes down to the rocky ground again before muttering, "You're my only brother, and I…love you…"

Satisfied, Itachi rose to his feet again, face impassive.

"…Nii-sa—…iya, aniki?"

"Don't go anywhere, Sasuke," Itachi said gently, turning to walk towards the mouth of the cave again. "I'll be back soon, and I'll explain what's going on later. Just stay here and rest first, understand?"

Seeing the younger boy nod, Itachi continued walking for a moment before pausing again. Turning back, he took the hand that Sasuke held his Konoha headband with. Carefully, Itachi guided the younger boy's hand to stuff the headband into his pocket. Rising again, Itachi turned to walk away again. Over his shoulder he called, "Just keep that away for a while, Sasuke."

Once out of the cave, Kisame fell into step beside Itachi as they continued their morning scouting. Smirking, he commented, "For a skill you just developed recently, your hypnosis and memory erasing abilities are quite impressive, Itachi-san."

Itachi simply closed his eyes and continued in silence.

---

The sun was high in the sky already, but Naruto still lay on his bed with his arms set comfortably behind his head, his eyes concentrated on an invisible spot on his ceiling. He had spent the entire day contemplating what had happened last night. As much as he hated to admit it, Naruto felt slightly guilty for upsetting Sasuke, even _if_ he may have deserved it.

A knock suddenly sounded at the front door before it was pushed open, and in his room, Naruto closed his eyes and rolled onto his side, pretending to be asleep. It was probably Sakura, after all, on her daily rounds to her teammates' houses to make sure the boys were properly fed and still alive.

"Naruto, you slacker," Sakura grumbled through clenched teeth as she made her way into her teammate's room. She glared at the back of the teen's blond head. "Pretending to be asleep isn't going to work on me. It's almost noon already anyway!"

Groaning, Naruto opened his eyes again and rolled over to sit on the edge of his bed. He rubbed the back of his head with a grumble as Sakura made a fuss over the sloppy state of his room. Over the years, Sakura had practically become his mother or at least an overprotective sister.

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry," Naruto mumbled, rising to his feet. He brushed past the fuming girl quietly and made his way towards his kitchen. "I'll clean it later."

When Sakura gave up on attempting to clean his room and returned to the kitchen, Naruto was still hopelessly browsing his empty refrigerator. Letting out a sigh of exasperation, Sakura pointed over at a bag she had brought with her. "I knew you'd be hungry," she sniffed, rather annoyed. "I brought some leftovers from the party yesterday. Eat up. I'm going to see Sasuke-kun afterwards."

Grudgingly, Naruto accepted the food and slumped down into a chair at the table. "It wasn't my fault."

Sakura shot him a glare.

"…ok, so maybe I said some things I'm willing to take back," Naruto finally admitted with a frown as he poked at the food with his chopsticks. It was almost dangerous how unsettling Sakura could make him feel with that icy glare. It was obviously a sign that told him not to mess with her.

Seeing the upset and somewhat upset expression on Naruto's face, Sakura softened slightly and sighed. Taking a seat across the table from her teammate, she said quietly, "I'm not saying that perhaps Sasuke-kun wasn't out of line either, Naruto. It's just…I know how hard it's been for Sasuke-kun."

"He's not a child," Naruto stated seriously, bringing his eyes to meet Sakura's. "He knows how to deal with things himself. Even if you love him, it's not like you can solve his problems for him. Sasuke knows were' his friends and we'll be there for him, so if he really needs us, he'll say so."

Humbled, Sakura gazed down at the table as Naruto silently began to eat again. Of course she knew Naruto was right, which was somewhat strange, but it was hard not to worry anyway. Smirking, she lifted her green eyes again and commented slyly, "In your own way, you love Sasuke-kun too, don't you, Naruto?"

Eye twitching, Naruto nearly choked on his rice. Outraged, he fumed, "Sakura-chan…"

"Only teasing," Sakura laughed, pouring herself some tea. "But honestly, I know very well you're actually good friends even if you try to hide it. As friends, Naruto, you definitely love each other."

"Can we _please_ not discuss such sappy topics while I'm eating?" Naruto scowled slightly, his grumbling returning. Somehow, his complaining had made Sakura beam even wider in a knowing manner. Guiding more rice into his mouth, Naruto chewed in frustrated silence before softening significantly. Finally, he quietly muttered, "I'll go with you to see Sasuke. I…have to apologize to him for being a jerk last night."

Sakura grinned in triumph. Cheerfully, she declared, "Good boy, Naruto. I'll bring you more food tomorrow. I can see you need help with grocery shopping too."

Naruto only sank lower into his seat.

"You should be glad you have a female friend that's willing to take care of you," Sakura huffed, whapping the other teen over his head with another pair of chopsticks. "Now, hurry up. You still have to get properly dressed as well."

Just as the blond opened his mouth to protest, Sakura cut in again, "There is no way you're leaving the house in pajama pants and the shirt you wore yesterday."

Frowning, Naruto placed his chopsticks down on the table and grumbled quietly before retreating to his room to change, "Gouchisousan."

Naruto was just tying on his headband when he heard Sakura answer a knock at his door and greet Shikamaru and Neji. Finishing tying the knot hastily, Naruto grabbed his weapons pouch and ran out towards the door.

"Is something the matter?" Sakura was asking when Naruto dashed into the room. Both Shikamaru and Neji looked rather grave, making Naruto slightly suspicious.

Closing his eyes for a moment before opening them again, Shikamaru began slowly, "Naruto, Sakura…"

Neji glanced at his partner before turning to the younger teens. Flatly, he announced, "Uchiha Sasuke has been reported missing."

---

Alone in the cave, Sasuke flexed his sore muscles out, bending and testing his legs to be sure the wobble had been suppressed. Hours had already passed since he had woken up, and he was just now getting used to the feeling of being in complete control of his body again. His memories were still a buzz, and the only clear image he could see through the haze was Itachi.

Other than that, Sasuke was in good condition. More out of boredom than for the sake of training, Sasuke set up a piece of wood against the far wall of the cave as a target before returning to sit on the ground against the floor against the target. From his sitting position, he, with much boredom, casually threw his skuriken and kunai weapons at the block of wood, occasionally making it jump from impact. By the time he had used up all his weapons and retrieved them again three times, Kisame finally poked his head back into the cave.

"Sasuke-kun, right?" the shark man asked with a smirk, seeing the boy tense slightly and prepare for a fighting situation if needed. "No need to be nervous. I'm Itachi-san's comrade."

Sasuke still looked doubtful, but relaxed his body slightly anyway. His eyebrows remained in a crest downward as his eyes followed his company's movements.

Kisame began setting the wood he had gathered in a small pile on the floor of the cave. The sun would be setting soon and they would need something to eat. He had not the slightest clue what Itachi was up to all alone in the forest, but Kisame would still abide to his word of "looking after" Sasuke, or so Itachi had said.

Grin revealing a row of sharp teeth, Kisame went on with the attempted conversation, "So you're Itachi-san's brother. The resemblance is rather shocking. It's strange though. Itachi-san is always concerned about you even though he hides it well."

These were words of attempted comfort, Sasuke realized. The words sounded somewhat awkward and made Sasuke wonder about his brother, but he silently decided to just accept them. His guard lowering just another slight notch, Sasuke sniffed, "Your name. What is it?"

Grin widening, the shark man replied, "Kisame. We'll be comrades from now on, Sasuke-kun, so don't forget it."

Comrades.

The word struck a chord in Sasuke's mind, stirring up a terribly hazy image of a face or two, but none that he could make out well. Although he had a bit of an aversion to too many people about him, Sasuke found no choice but to accept Kisame. This person was Itachi's comrade, after all.

Closing his eyes, Sasuke finally released the majority of his guard and relaxed. His sudden calming made Kisame look almost cheerful. When he opened his eyes again, Sasuke saw that Kisame was bringing filled containers of water towards the cave. It seemed as if they were camping in this cave for the night.

Noting out of the corner of his eye that the sun had disappeared behind the mountains, Sasuke turned towards the pile of wood. With a few quick hand signs, he blew out a blast of fire from his mouth to set the campfire alight. Just as he was releasing the extra smoke from his mouth, Kisame made a comment.

"I think I rather like you, Sasuke-kun. Partially because you're very similar to Itachi-san, and partially because you're quite cute."

Sasuke turned to glare before letting out a soft scowl, making Kisame snickering at his actions. He hated it when people called him "cute." Before Sasuke could properly retort, Itachi stepped quietly into the mouth of the cave, gaze directed solely on Sasuke.

"Come, Sasuke," Itachi beckoned quietly. "Time to catch supper. The fish are more plentiful at this hour."

Rising to his feet as Kisame made a face at the notion of eating fish, Sasuke dutifully made his way towards his older brother without much complaint. He remained silent as he followed Itachi, barely noticing out of the corner of his eye that Kisame had also left the cave in search of his own food.

Itachi was silent the entire walk through the woods towards the small lake. There was little to say anyway. Sasuke simply followed his brother a few steps behind, eyes set down on the feet before him. Somehow, although he could not remember ever having it or being without it, Sasuke had missed this sensation.

The sensation of being in his family's presence, the feeling of comfort in hearing the soft, rhythmic steps of a familiar person walking before him, but most of all the somewhat odd sensation gaining something he felt as if he had somehow lost before. Even though some dark part of his mind told him it was supposed to be wrong, he could not help but constantly crave Itachi's presence, to be with him, to hear his voice, and to feel his touch… Sasuke could hardly understand his own desires, yet he secretly hoped time could always be spent just like this.

When Itachi suddenly stopped, Sasuke did likewise, lifting his gaze to meet the back of his brother's head. Beyond Itachi, a small but shining lake stretched out before them, its clear waters ideal for drinking. Slowly, Itachi made his way toward the water before walking on the water completely. Turning slightly, he silently beckoned the younger boy over.

Sasuke did as he was told, walking on the water easily with chakra applied to his feet. He glanced at his older brother standing at his side. Itachi had his eyes closed and head lifted slightly, as if he were enjoying the gentle breeze upon his face. Suddenly, without warning, the older boy threw three kunai knives back towards the shore, effectively spearing three fish swimming in the shallow waters.

Itachi turned slightly again to gaze at his younger brother, silently urging him to go on as well. Watching as Sasuke closed his eyes in concentration, Itachi felt his blood surge in his veins. Just like this. This simple silence and ease in company; this was how their childhood probably would have been spent, Itachi thought to himself, closing his eyes again.

This, however, was not their childhood, and both Itachi and Sasuke were no longer children. Sasuke was an adult, Itachi mused to himself, eyes still locked on the younger boy's concentrated expression. In just a few years, Sasuke would no longer be a teenager. Itachi had to wonder in silence, would he be sticking around to further watch Sasuke grow?

His desires were jumbled. Long ago he had abandoned the notion of Sasuke being his clingy little brother. Now, as he further examined the teenaged brother he had been long separated from, Itachi's desires ached again. His craving to taint the boy would not fade.

Eyes snapping open, Sasuke smoothly threw his own kunai knives into the water, hardly creating a ripple as he as well successfully speared three fish. Triumphantly, he turned to face his older brother, only to be stunned by the deeply laden desire in Itachi's eyes. The desire was not a childish one, but driven by guilty adult lust. Somehow, Sasuke was not entirely bothered.

Silently, Itachi reached over to brush a few dark bangs out of the younger boy's eyes. His fingers trailed feather-softly over the soft skin of Sasuke's face, lingering for a moment at the flushed lips. Just as Sasuke's eyes fluttered closed responsively in pure lust, Itachi closed his eyes and drew his hand away, quickly turning to walk towards the shore.

"We have enough, Sasuke," Itachi said quietly, plucking the weapons out of the water along with the fish. "Let's go back."

Eyes opening again, Sasuke glared at the rippling surface at the water for a moment. Yes, it would always be just like this, his desire complained. Pushing his feeling of dissatisfaction away at the unfulfilled almost-kiss, Sasuke quickly strode after his brother in silence. Together, they retreated into the forest and back to the cave where Kisame awaited them.

"Did you both kill enough of my friends?" Kisame asked with a somewhat childish frown and folded arms. Seeing the brothers dump a small armful of fish near the base of the fire, Kisame felt his frown deepen. Grumbling, he plucked the branch roasting the small woodland animal he had caught for dinner from the fire and made his way towards the outside of the cave to eat alone.

After the fish had been roasted, Sasuke sat against the cave wall opposite of the one his brother sat against and ate in silence. Occasionally, he looked up and through the fire at Itachi, and each time he had looked up by chance, Itachi returned his gaze evenly with the faint expression of unfulfilled desire radiating from him. Sasuke was unsure whether to feel relieved or disappointed when Kisame returned, breaking their silence.

"Where will we be going in the morning, Itachi-san?" Kisame questioned, taking a seat against the way next to Sasuke. Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at the boy and smirked slightly. "You've finished your personal mission after all."

Sasuke turned slightly to direct a tight frown at Kisame's smirk. He did _not_ like the implication he had heard.

Closing his eyes, Itachi gave a slight nod in agreement. "In the morning then," he stated quietly, "we'll be returning to Akatsuki headquarters."

Tsuzuku.

* * *

**A/N:** Shorter, and not to mention weird, chapter, I apologize. Even more than the first chapter, this was more of a filler to get to the next… Heh, I even admit it. I'm in need of brushing up on my Akatsuki info, so hopefully the next chapter will finally start to get more interesting. x)

Thanks for reading! Oh, and please review if you can. :D I really do love reviews.


	3. Phase Three

**Disclaimer:** meh.

**Pairing:** Itachi x Sasuke, Naruto + Sasuke?

Destiny Rewritten

By: yukuro

Phase Three: Acceptance and Discrepancy

"What do you mean, _missing_?"

Shikamaru sighed. He had seen this coming. From the moment he first heard the news himself, the first thought that entered his mind was that Naruto would be furious. If Neji had not been there to keep the blond quiet, Shikamaru was sure Naruto would have exploded. Suddenly, Shikamaru began to appreciate his partner's ability to be constantly calm and collected despite the situation.

"Calm down, Naruto," Neji commanded icily, holding the blond teen down from dashing out the door and likely into a random direction in attempt to go after Sasuke. "Recklessness isn't going to help find him."

Ceasing his struggle, realization dawned on Naruto. His face paled slightly in horror, ignoring Sakura's faint call of his name. Sending his closed fist into the wall, Naruto squeezed his eyes shut. "Damn it. This is all my fault. What I said last night was far too out of line. He must have run off again…"

"I wouldn't be so sure," Shikamaru sighed, bringing a hand to his forehead in attempt to soothe the headache that was brewing. "There are a few rumors going around and a couple of witnesses too…"

"Of what?" Sakura asked quietly and fearfully. "Has something terrible happened to Sasuke-kun?"

Before Shikamaru could utter another word, Neji intervened smoothly, "Shikamaru, it's not our place. We were simply sent to call them to see Tsunade-sama. Let her do the explaining."

"Right," Shikamaru sighed again, rubbing the back of his neck as Naruto continued to fume near the door. "I almost walked into something troublesome. Thanks, Neji."

"It's unlike you to be careless," Neji replied easily, turning to follow Naruto, who had just burst into a sprint out the door. He paused in the doorway and turned slightly to call Sakura's attention. "Sakura, you should come too."

"Of course I'm coming," the girl said firmly, following the other two jounin out the door. As they rushed after Naruto, Sakura closed her eyes for a moment. Biting her lip in concern, she whispered softly to herself, "Sasuke-kun, please be safe."

In Hokage's office, chaos had erupted. A small team of teenaged shinobi of various ranks had gathered in Tsunade's office as Naruto stood ahead of them, hands slammed down on the large desk separating Tsunade and himself. Angrily, he demanded, "What's going on, Tsunade-baasan? Sasuke can't be missing! I saw him last night!"

"Indeed, that was the last time he was spotted," Tsunade replied smoothly, unaffected by Naruto's growing rage. "However," she went on, "he was scheduled to go on a mission today, as you recall your request to have his missions delayed on his birthday. When I sent messengers to his home to fetch him, no one was there. After a brief search of the city, he is still nowhere to be found."

Struck deeply by the news, Naruto backed down slightly, balling his hands into fists. Blue eyes focused on the desk beneath his hands, he asked shakily, "Sasuke…he…didn't run away again, did he?"

Mercilessly, Tsunade replied, "That is in question."

"Sasuke-kun wouldn't anymore!" Sakura protested suddenly, speaking up for the first time since assembling in the room. "I believe in him! He wouldn't just leave us again…"

"He did it once," Neji interjected somewhat coldly, only to be sent dark glares from Lee and TenTen alike.

"I suppose this is where I step in," Kakashi piped up somewhat grimly, trekking towards Naruto and Tsunade from the corner of the room. Solemnly, he directed his glance at the Godaime. "There are a few villagers that live near Sasuke that claim to have witnessed someone enter Sasuke's window and then leave again shortly after. All of them agree that it was a figure cloaked in black with long hair."

"Itachi," Naruto stated grimly, clenching his teeth. "Are you saying Itachi kidnapped Sasuke? Sasuke's not that weak."

"Also," Shikamaru brought up, making the others turn towards him, "I doubt Itachi would be careless enough to have witnesses if he were actually stealing Sasuke away."

"Unless he wanted people to know," Kiba reasoned as Akamaru let out a bark of agreement.

"It could be a trap," Lee murmured quietly, arms folded as he strayed deeper into thought. "Itachi-san is cunning that way…"

As the others continued to comment and discuss the situation, only three figures remained silent. Tsunade, who sat at her desk calmly, hands folded in front of her and her eyes closed. If she had not been sitting up, it was probably assumable that she was asleep. Kakashi, the second silent figure, remained rooted to his spot near Tsunade's desk, his lone uncovered eye gazing out of the window with blatant sorrow in the dark puddles. Naruto clenched his fists, his head lowered slightly, rage slowly boiling up.

"You're all making this too complicated," Naruto finally stated, eyes still shaded. Every member in the room slowly became silent and turned to glance at the blond. When his eyes lifted again, they were sharp with anger and determination. With a slight snarl of the kyuubi in his voice, he declared darkly, "I don't care what's happened. I'll bring Sasuke back and kill the bastard that took him away."

Silence spread slowly through the crowd as Naruto marched swiftly towards the door. Finally, Tsunade opened her eyes and glanced sharply at Kakashi, silently transmitting her orders. Closing his eyes to hide his reluctance, Kakashi disappeared to Naruto's side in a flash to grab the teen's wrist and pull his arm behind his back.

Startled, Naruto turned his head to stare bewilderedly at Kakashi's saddened expression. "Kakashi-sensei!"

Rising silently, Tsunade stared piercingly at the remaining members in the room. Firmly without explanation, she stated, "Uzumaki Naruto is to be placed under house arrest until further notice. He is not to leave his home for any reason, and his missions will be temporarily given to the rest of you. There will be no further discussion of Uchiha Sasuke's disappearance."

"Tsu…Tsunade-sama!" Sakura exclaimed in protest, her eyebrows knitting together in disbelief. Stepping forward with a clenched fist to her heart, she cried out in despair, "We can't leave Sasuke-kun alone! And Naruto… He just wants to find Sasuke-kun! Why are you doing this! Why—"

Tsunade slammed her hand down on her desk to silence the girl. Closing her eyes for a brief moment to regain her self-control, she continued stonily, "Uchiha Sasuke has already been given a chance to return to the village, and in that mission many of those sent on the mission were fatally injured upon their return. I can no longer risk more of such fatal injuries. If Sasuke wants to return to the village again, he will return. But keep in mind, now that he is gone, is officially declared missing. There will be no further argument."

"Tsunade-sama!" Sakura cried again, tears forming in her eyes as she took another step forward.

"Restrain Haruno Sakura if necessary," Tsunade said stonily, eyes deadly serious. "There will be absolutely _no_ _further_ _discussion_."

Reluctantly, Ino and TenTen took hold of Sakura's arms before forcefully ushering her out of the room shortly after Kakashi had dragged the still angrily protesting Naruto. As the members slowly filed out of the room, all failed to notice the nervous shake that developed in Tsunade's hands and the way her brows slowly knit together in grief.

---

Oddly enough, Sasuke was actually enjoying the trip. Although Itachi had been almost completely silent throughout the journey, Kisame had spoken enough for the older Uchiha. As they continued through the forest towards the well-hidden Akatsuki headquarters, Kisame slunk back slightly to stay in step with Sasuke has he quietly told the younger boy as many stories of Itachi he could think of, grinning all the while. He hated to admit it, but Sasuke could not help but feel entertained. These were things that Itachi himself would never speak of, after all.

"It's kind of nice to have someone to talk to," Kisame mused just as Sasuke held back a choked laugh from the previous explanation of experiences. When the younger boy looked up, Kisame continued, "Itachi-san doesn't talk much, and he acts like he's always suffering."

Sasuke remained silently as his eyes slowly trailed towards his brother's back just a few steps in front of them. He didn't know. He didn't know anything. He couldn't remember how Itachi had been in the past or how he was supposed to be now. It was a pain that nagged at him constantly, but one he kept well suppressed.

"You're a quiet kid yourself," Kisame went on, frowning slightly. "But probably more expressive than Itachi-san. He just doesn't know how to convey himself. I can tell you—"

"That's enough, Kisame," Itachi said suddenly from ahead, making the shark-like man wince slightly. Apparently, he thought he was safe from Itachi's incredible hearing. Obediently, he remained silent and continued in that state.

The forest was beginning to thin out as Itachi led them further ahead towards the mountains. Sasuke let his eyes dart around every now and then so that he would be able to remember his surroundings. His memory blurred and sparked every now and then, but he had quickly learned to ignore it. From the moment he stepped out of the great forest that separated him from Konoha Gakure, Sasuke decided to release all notions of recalling his past and begin focusing solely on his future. After all, the present and the future would be where Itachi would be.

When they first stepped into the dark mountainside cave, the area seemed abandoned and completely lifeless. For a moment, Sasuke was confused, but in the next, he found himself dodging flying weapons aimed at him. In an instant, Itachi countered the attack, and soon, several cloaked figures melted out of the shadows and faded into sight.

"As usual, you're good, Itachi," Deidra commented with a lopsided grin. "You haven't lost your touch while you've been away."

To that, Itachi simply closed his eyes and nodded slightly in acknowledgement. Beside him, Kisame grinned back at the other members they had long been separated from. Sasuke, on the other hand, was letting his eyes dart back and forth between each of the similarly darkly cloaked figures. For the moment, he was unsure if these people were allies or enemies. But since both Itachi and Kisame seemed unfazed by their presence, Sasuke supposed that meant that these people were acceptable. Of course, that alone could not completely dismantle his distrust.

"Ah," Deidra suddenly spoke again, contrary to the others' silence. Breaking out into a wider grin, he asked in amusement, "Is that your brother, Itachi? As expected, he really is cute. Like a miniature you."

"Like we really need two Itachis," Zetsu commented dryly from the side. "More of that wining personality."

"You should be the last to speak," Sasori snapped irritably in response.

"I still say he's cute," Deidra insisted good-naturedly. In a flash, he was behind Sasuke, arms around him in a loose embrace while poking at the boy's face every now and then. He laughed in amusement when Sasuke sputtered and quickly knocked him away. "Definitely Itachi's brother, ah…"

"So this was the personal mission you set out on?" Sasori questioned quietly, tone still rather stony. His gaze met Itachi's passive one. "Careless of you to bring an outsider here, Itachi. You may have gotten soft while you've been away."

"Is he staying?" Deidra piped up, ruffling Sasuke's hair while completely ignoring the way the teen was glaring death threats at him. "Itachi, you wouldn't keep your cute little brother all to yourself, would you?"

Still not responding to anyone, Itachi let his gaze shift silently towards the leader's. Between their gazes, he silently asked if the arrangement was acceptable. Although, he already secretly planned on keeping Sasuke near him even if the leader had disagreed. However, the leader's brief nod of approval made him throw his secret plan out the window. Closing his eyes, he bowed his head slightly in gratitude.

"Let Itachi do as he pleases," the leader stated from the shadows, much to Deidra and Kisame's delight. "However," he said strictly to Itachi, "your brother is your own responsibility. If he dies, it'll be your own fault."

Sasuke felt his brows furrow at this exchange. Itachi had simply nodded and bowed in agreement, staying silent despite the strange sounding agreement. As Kisame turned to grin at him, Sasuke could only let his gaze settle on his brother. He was silent and obedient, not even the slightest bit of his emotions escaping any crack in his flawless mask. For a moment, Sasuke had to wonder what Itachi's purpose was. Why had he been taken here in the first place, and what did Itachi really think of him? His memories were too clouded to help answer these questions.

"We're in need of a celebration!" Deidra called, grinning widely. "We're all finally reunited, after all."

"You're just saying that as an excuse to drink," Sasori stated blatantly.

"And it's a perfectly legitimate excuse," the other Akatsuki member retorted, finally letting go of Sasuke.

While the commotion in the cave continued, Sasuke kept his eyes locked on his older brother. Itachi had quietly slipped back and out of the cave while no one was looking. No one, that was, except Sasuke.

Similarly sneaking away from the group, Sasuke trekked after his brother, moving more on instinct than curiosity. Once out into the forest again, Sasuke glanced around expectantly, but could not spot the older boy anywhere. He frowned slightly for a moment, but his thoughts were suddenly interrupted by Itachi's liquid-like voice.

"What is it, Sasuke?"

Turning to meet his older brother, who was calmly leaning against the side of the rocky wall, Sasuke stood firmly, evenly matching the passive gaze directed at him. "Aniki," he began, noticing the way Itachi had stiffened slightly and closed his eyes at that word alone. Stepping forward a bit to stay clear of the cave entrance, Sasuke kept his gaze fixed on Itachi's shielded eyes behind eyelids. "Aniki, why…am I here? Why did you bring me here?"

Sasuke was still staring evenly at Itachi when the older boy opened his eyes again. Silenced passed between them momentarily. Somehow with the calm blowing of the wind, Sasuke felt as if his brother's guarded sentiments had slipped slightly. Then again silently, Itachi closed his eyes again and said not a word. Whatever his answer, he was not ready to speak of it yet.

Before Sasuke could utter another word, Itachi turned away as Kisame simultaneously appeared in the cave opening, almost as if summoned by Itachi's will. Sasuke could only clench his fists and watch silently as Itachi silently disappeared into the forest. He turned his head to direct his frustrated stare towards the ground when he felt Kisame place a hand on his shoulder.

"Itachi-san needs some alone time right now," Kisame commented, eyes fixed on Sasuke's downcast face. "He's been through a lot before you came to be with us."

"You know, don't you?" Sasuke muttered rather accusingly. "You know the real reason why I was brought here. Your friends didn't know I was coming, but they called me a 'mission.' What kind of plot is this?"

"Don't think too much about it, Sasuke-kun," Kisame replied simply, brushing off the smaller boy's hostility with ease. "Is it so much to ask for you just to accept that your brother wanted to be with you? He's not completely evil, you know."

"No, I don't know," the boy replied with difficulty, clenching his fists tighter. "I don't remember anything. Why am I starting to think that it's all of you that have done this?"

Before Kisame could respond again, Sasuke brought a hand to his aching head and covered his eyes with his palm. Sighing slightly, he muttered, "Forget it. I don't care anymore. I don't want to remember the past."

Quietly, a soft breeze scattered leaves at their feet, making the only sound between their silence. Giving up, Sasuke gazed up at the sky.

"Something tells me I would be happier anyway to live the rest of my life like this."

Grinning toothily, Kisame patted the boy's shoulder lightly. Turning, he pulled the younger boy along back towards the cave. "Let's just wait for your brother to get back, shall we?" Kisame asked with a reasonable amount of cheer. It was actually quite entertaining to be looking after a kid, one that looked like Itachi nevertheless. Smirking slightly, he added, "Sake will make you feel better."

Sasuke frowned slightly as he obediently followed Kisame back to the cave. Quietly going without notice, he muttered, "I don't drink."

Indeed, any celebration with the Akatsuki members basically consisted solely of a seemingly endless amount of sake and random, fiery conversations spouting out everywhere. Itachi had returned to sit on a log in front of the fire they had started in the vast cave, sipping his drink every now and then. Sasuke had watched him intently, noticing every small gesture his brother made, from his gentlemanly sips to his occasional smirks directed at his companions' antics. The only thing that was beginning to bother Sasuke was that his brother failed to acknowledge him more than once the entire night.

Sitting beside Sasuke, Kisame was heartily draining whatever bottles were handed to him while laughing in amusement at Deidra and Sasori, who had picked a fight with each other again. Another thing that had caught Sasuke's eye was Sasori's appearance. Without his dolls, the Akatsuki member looked almost younger than Sasuke. The dark haired teen was slightly perturbed by Sasori's rather innocent appearance.

The only two who had not yet let their lips touch a drop of sake were Sasuke and the leader. Although, the leader _had_ simply stood in the shadows observing for a while before slipping away completely. When Sasuke was not focusing his gaze on his brother across the fire, he was staring with a bit of disgust at the drink that had been offered to him.

"Hey, kid," the member beside him called with a wicked smirk. "It's impolite not to drink what's offered to you."

Just as Sasuke turned to glare at the snickering man beside him, another member piped up, "Are you really Itachi's brother? When he was your age, he could drain bottles without even feeling tipsy."

Sasuke's eyes snapped over to where his brother sat. Sure enough, Itachi gazed calmly back at him, the slightest bit of amusement flickering in his dark eyes. Suddenly, the snickering around him did not matter as much anymore. Sasuke clenched the small cup in his hands. Ignoring all others, Sasuke lifted it to his lips slowly, eyes fixed on Itachi. As if for a toast, Itachi lifted his own cup before draining it with a slight smirk on his lips. Taking a deep breath, Sasuke squeezed his eyes shut and poured the fowl liquid down his throat while the other Akatsuki members cheered.

Of course, Sasuke could barely keep up the pace, as he had almost never drank before. By the time he had only drank a third of a bottle, his vision began to swim and the sounds of the voices around him seemed to boom and pound against his eardrums. He was definitely done drinking. Bringing a hand to his forehead to rub his temples for a moment, Sasuke rose to his feet and turned to walk out of the cave. He needed fresh air.

The partiers continued celebrating and drinking as Sasuke headed towards the mouth of the cave with a hand pressed lightly to forehead. He could loosely feel Itachi's gaze following his back for a moment before shifting away again. Sasuke had not enough nerve to turn back and so much as gaze at his brother. His instincts kept nagging at him, telling him something was wrong. But the more he tried to think about it, the more his head hurt. Whatever his senses were bothering him for, it would have to wait.

Once out of the cave, Sasuke felt his wave around the outer stone wall, searching for a place to sit down. After finding a suitable place, he slumped down onto the ground a slight sigh escaping his lips. The intoxication was too much. He could barely see straight, trees and stars swimming around before him. Brows furrowed, he squeezed his eyes shut. When he wearily dragged his heavy eyelids up again, a shadowy figure stood before him.

"You're quite a work of art, Uchiha-otouto," Sasori commented in an icy tone as he stared coldly down at the dazed teenager. Without warning, Sasori simply wiggled a few fingers and his puppets returned to his side. "Really," he muttered darkly, "Your corpse would make a fine doll."

Although his vision was dashed and his rationality was torn, Sasuke knew when he was being ambushed, and now would be one of those times. He rose as quickly as he could to his feet, only to sink miserably back down onto the ground. Gripping a rock on the side of the cave, Sasuke heaved himself up, panting heavily and struggling to focus his vision on Sasori's wispy image. Squinting, he reached to his side pocket to quickly grab a weapon, but before his hand could reach, something sharp flew by and left a slit of blood on the back of his palm.

"Sorry, kid," Deidra called from the side, grinning cheekily. "We can't just disobey our leader's orders, you know. It's unfortunate, ah. I would have wanted to play with you more."

"Bastard," Sasuke muttered grimly, tightening his fist and focusing his vision. He closed his eyes for a moment, and when they reopened again, two blazing sharingan eyes replaced his dark black ones.

"Scary," laughed Deidra, flicking his finger forward. A paper bomb flew forward and attached itself to Sasuke's ankle. Once the paper exploded, inducing a choked cry of pain from the dark haired teen, Deidra grinned even wider and sent more explosives in Sasuke's direction. "This is why I love this kind of art, ah… Naa, Sasori-danna?"

"As always, you're an annoying bastard," Sasori commented stonily from the side. Sending his arm forward, the poisoned tail of his puppet shot forward, headed directly towards Sasuke, still suffering from the multiple mini explosions occurring wherever the paper bombs touched him. Sasori narrowed his eyes, "This will be the end."

For a moment, Sasuke actually thought he would die. His entire body ached with the pain from the multiple explosions. His skin was burned and bloody, his vision still not returning completely to normal despite the usage of his sharingan eyes. Perhaps this was the sole reason Itachi had brought him back. Simply to be disposed of. If that was the case, then…

Gripping his shoulder tightly, Sasuke lifted his tired, vision-blurred eyes up. For a second, he saw the poisoned tail coming directly between his eyes, but in the next second, all he could see was black.

But he was not dead yet.

"What," Sasori asked darkly, "do you think you're doing, Itachi?"

At that time, Sasuke wondered if he was still dreaming. Itachi had come between them, effectively stopping the poisoned tail with simply a kunai knife. Silently, Sasuke wondered when Itachi decided to notice him again. Ever since they had met each other again, Sasuke felt as if he was always being ignored. But now, his answer was lost again.

"Well, as expected," Deidra stated loudly, throwing his arms up in the air in defeat. "Itachi, you really do have a brother complex."

"Itachi," Sasori called quietly, not yet recalling his puppet. Eyes glazed, he asked darkly, "Are you serious about having him here? He's your enemy, isn't he? Or are you stuck in a dream again?"

Itachi remained silent, evenly staring back at Sasori with a steady gaze.

After a few more moments of silence, Sasori finally closed his eyes and pulled his puppet back with a slight twirl of his fingers. Turning on his heels, he strode back towards the cave without so much as looking at any of the others again.

"You'll regret bringing him here one day," Sasori muttered as he passed the older Uchiha, "If you had let us get rid of him now, you wouldn't have had to suffer later on."

Closing his eyes, Itachi replied quietly, speaking for the first time, "It's not as if we're companions anyway."

Sasori paused for a moment, but kept his gaze straight ahead as Deidra made his way around the other Akatsuki member with a sigh. Quietly, he stated, "That's right. We're simply strangers following the same path, make no mistake."

And with that, Sasori and Deidra disappeared back into the cave, leaving Sasuke and Itachi alone in the darkness under the stars.

Straining terribly to simply sit up properly, Sasuke winced as the arm he was trying to use to prop himself up began to waver. He fell forward slightly, only to fit nicely into Itachi's arms. Surprised, he slowly looked up. "Aniki…"

Again, Itachi remained silent although that simple trigger word from Sasuke made his eyes narrow slightly. Leaning forward slightly, he lightly fingered Sasuke's bloodied lower face. Eyes empty and black, he muttered, "Sasuke, from now on, you can't think of me as your brother anymore."

Sasuke's eyes widened slightly when Itachi's lips brushed his injured ones lightly. He stared in shock back at Itachi's dark gaze. He could smell sake in Itachi's breath, and the slight flush of intoxication stained his cheeks. Despite this, Sasuke could easily tell Itachi was serious.

"Or else," Itachi went on, eyes flickering slightly, "I'll be forced to kill you in the end."

Stars twinkling and the moon still high, the dark night breezily slipped by.

Tsuzuku.

* * *

**A/N:** …agh. I'll be the first to admit that the previous chapter was just terrible, but hopefully this one has been a bit better (although in my opinion, not much e.eV). n.n; Ah, yes, I know the unfortunate fate of Deidra and Sasori in the manga, but isn't it just more fun this way :D 

Oh, and I apologize for the slow-moving plot currently. I'm starting to get somewhere now, really! And _why_ the hell are they trying to kill Sasuke? Right. It'll be in the next chapter. Heh. And the plot gets moving finally

Thanks a lot for sticking with me this far, everyone. I'm really grateful if you've read up to here, even if you don't review. XP


	4. Phase Four

**Disclaimer:** see previous chapters :D

**Pairing:** Itachi x Sasuke

**Note:** Deidra or Deidara, I don't know. I'll probably just stick with the way I've been spelling his name for the sake of continuity. I hope that doesn't bother anyone. x.x; Oh yes. This chapter is dedicated to my...my cousin yumei whose birthday is today. xP

Destiny Rewritten

By: yukuro

Phase Four: Ulterior Motives

When the sun began to rise over the mountains, Sasuke was already awake and alert, staring with a blank-expression at the roof of the vast cavern. His body was sore and bandaged, still singed and darkened from the attack of the previous night. Above that, his head ached madly as if he was being hammered from the inside. The effects of alcohol truly were amazing. More than anything else, however, his mind and consciousness were confused and lost, entrapped in a state of inexplicable vertigo that had not been induced by alcohol.

Itachi had kissed him. And without hesitation or awkwardness at that. It felt as if this was what he had been waiting to do for a long time already. Was that what Itachi had meant when he told Sasuke they could no longer been seen as brothers? For a moment at that time, Sasuke thought he would have been ravished, as his brother's breath smelled heavily of alcohol and both their senses seemed to be dulled. But then, Itachi had surprised him by carrying the younger boy gently back into the cave without another word. In truth, Sasuke had been more shocked at Itachi's docile behavior rather than the fact that their lips had just met.

Sasuke's mind struggled to come to terms with what his body was feeling. Indeed, his body craved more of that cold touch even though it may have been wrong. Somewhere in the back of his mind, a voice was telling him that he had been obsessing over Itachi's lone figure although the reason was unclear. The voice was telling him that for a long time, he had not believed Itachi to be his brother at all. Calling him "brother" was just a convenient excuse to cover his awkward inner lust. Interesting the realizations one came to when fighting the pain of a hangover.

Just when Sasuke finally closed his eyes for a moment to give his body the rest it screamed for, he heard the pattering of feet coming towards him and the bright call of, "Sasuke-kun, awake yet?"

Slowly, he cracked one eye open again as Kisame took a seat next to where he lie. Without much of a reaction, Sasuke resigned himself and opened both eyes again to stare back up at the far-away ceiling. He winced slightly when Kisame tapped his arm lightly.

"Time to change your bandages again, kid," Kisame explained with a bit of cheer in his voice. "If you stay like that, you'll get an infection."

Hardly willing to argue, Sasuke sat up slowly and tentatively. He winced visibly as his body simultaneously screamed in pain along with his aching head. Bringing a hand up to his forehead, Sasuke squeezed his eyes shut in attempt to will away the terrible throbbing.

"No need to push yourself too much," the shark-like man commented in amusement, unrolling a roll of clean, white bandages. "But then again, I shouldn't waste my breath in warning you. You _are_ Itachi-san's brother after all."

Stiffening slightly at the last comment, Sasuke turned his face towards the opposite wall as Kisame unwrapped the bandages on one arm. His mind may not have clearly remembered, but he knew for sure he really did not want to be called that anymore although it seemed like a far-too-good dream at first. He became especially sensitive to the association after last night.

"That's enough of that," Sasuke muttered quietly, making Kisame look up. "To him, we aren't brothers anymore."

At that moment, Kisame thought the situation was rather ironic. All the years that Sasuke had spent waiting and training to someday kill Itachi, hating him with all his might and not assessing him to be any part of his family, Itachi had been the opposite. In fact, Itachi had always thought of Sasuke to be his "dear" younger brother, or at least as far as Kisame knew. But Sasuke didn't know any of this, nor would he remember what he was like in the past. Kisame vaguely wondered when the tables had turned on their relationship. It was rather amusing.

"Whatever you say, Sasuke-kun," Kisame drawled with a sneaky grin spreading slowly across his face as he changed the boy's bandages. "Itachi-san specifically told me to take care of you so I guess that means complying to your wishes too."

Sasuke stiffened again for a moment before getting a grip on himself. Somewhat abashed, he muttered, "Itachi asked you to look after me?"

"Of course," the Akatsuki member replied with ease. "Of course, I would've done so anyway if it were up to me, but it's better to get Itachi-san's permission you know. The entire night he's been warding everyone else away from you."

For a short while, Sasuke was silent in contemplating what the man had said. Closing his eyes, he remarked with the slightest hint of amusement, "You're enjoying all this, aren't you?"

"It's fun to play matchmaker," Kisame replied simply with a nod, finishing the knot of the bandages on Sasuke's arm.

Rolling his eyes slightly to suppress his tiny smile, Sasuke relaxed. At least he knew he had one ally in this place. He couldn't even be completely sure about Itachi anymore. That, of course, could not stop his body from wanting to be held by him though.

For the rest of the bandaging process, Sasuke was obedient and sat immobile as Kisame neatly re-bandaged his body. Once Sasuke was properly wrapped in clean bandages again, Kisame rose to his feet and stretched out his arms. Leaning over, he grabbed the bloodied bandages so that he could go dispose of him. "Sleep, Sasuke-kun," he urged as he trotted away. "Sleep some more. It's good for you."

Sasuke had hardly finish hearing what Kisame had said before his eyes fluttered closed and his consciousness drifted away obediently. Once asleep, it seemed as if all dreams had been warded away, thankfully. Although he had slept for more than half of the day, when his ears twitched at the sound of the vague shuffling of a cloak beside him, Sasuke had felt as if only a few moments had passed. Still too weary and dazed to open his eyes, Sasuke merely shifted slightly, fully intending on rising until he heard a voice speak.

"What do you plan on doing by keeping him here, Itachi?"

Since Sasuke had not been around long enough to be able to clearly tell apart the various Akatsuki members' voices, his ears prickled in lack of recognition although he vaguely sensed that it may have been Sasori. His senses told him that there were at least three or four people at his side. He dared not open his eyes to peek though.

"Itachi," Deidra called out impatiently, tapping his foot slightly with his gaze fixed on the older Uchiha's back as he sat on the ground gazing down at his brother. "Really, even I'm curious, ah… I'm not complaining since he's cute, but didn't you bother to think what would happen back at Konoha once they realize he's gone?"

"Knowing that ridiculous village, they'll bound to send someone after him sooner or later," Sasori stated flatly and coldly, similarly gazing coolly at Itachi's back. "Not that it'll be a challenge to defeat whatever incompetents they send after us, but it will be troublesome to re-locate. If we don't get rid of him, unnecessary trouble may start."

Remaining silent, Itachi let his eyes drift across Sasuke's expressionless face. After carefully sweeping a few long bangs away from the boy's eyes, Itachi slowly closed his own. Quietly and smoothly, he stated, "No one will be coming after him. At most, there will be one…"

"Ah," Deidra muttered thoughtfully, tapping his ringed finger on his chin lightly. "His friend, the jinchuuriki? It may be even better for us if he comes. Saves us the trouble of searching for him. Good thinking, Itachi."

"I doubt that was his original intention," Sasori stated coldly, still glaring harshly at Itachi's back.

"You don't give Itachi enough credit, Sasori-danna," Deidra sniffed indignantly with a raised eyebrow.

"You're giving him too much credit," Sasori snapped back, shifting his dark glare towards Deidra. "You forget your place. We aren't comrades here. I shouldn't trust you any more than I do Itachi."

While the two glared daggers at each other, Itachi silently opened his eyes again to gaze down at Sasuke's face again. There was more than one reason he had brought Sasuke to them. He would admit however, that more than one was for a selfish reason. That though, did not need to be known.

"Deidra's right," Itachi stated smoothly, surprising the two other Akatsuki members with his sudden comment. Although his eyes stayed carefully locked on Sasuke's face, Itachi directed his quiet comment over his shoulder. "The jinchuuriki will come. That is why…Sasuke is here."

"As long as the jinchuuriki thinks he's here, he'll come," Sasori began darkly, tone icy. "That has nothing to do with keeping the kid alive."

"Sasori," Itachi stated quietly and calmly, eyes still fastened on his younger brother. "If you touch him, I'll kill you."

At that point, Sasuke's chest tightened on impulse. He knew he was supposed to be feigning sleep, but at the rate his heart was pounding, he was surprised Itachi had not already heard it. His mind was spinning. He wanted nothing more than to open his eyes. When he opened them a crack to sneak a glance through his eyelashes, his breath was caught in his throat when he noticed his brother's expression. The last comment had been serious, but all others before it a lie. Whatever Itachi's reasons for keeping Sasuke with him, Itachi kept them well hidden.

Deidra let out a quick burst of laughter at the tension-filled glare Sasori was directing at Itachi's indifferent figure. Grinning crookedly, he drawled, "Itachi has a brother complex after all, hmm? You probably shouldn't push him when it comes to his cute little brother, Sasori-danna."

Promptly ignoring his traveling partner, Sasori turned on his heels and marched stiffly in the opposite direction. Deidra cast a smirk at Itachi's back before lightly taking off after Sasori.

Once Sasori and Deidra had filed out of the dark corner of the cave, Itachi closed his eyes. Smoothly and softly, he commented, "Sasuke, you can stop pretending and open your eyes now."

Reluctantly, Sasuke opened his eyes to gaze lightly up at the ceiling. His mind was still in a daze. Slowly, he sat up and turned his head to glance at his brother. The older boy's gaze met his evenly, and between their eyes, they silently reached within each other's souls.

Before Sasuke could utter a word about what Itachi had said, Itachi himself spoke up first. Eyes unwavering, he said in his quiet voice, "Even lies are just words."

"Lies can cause misinterpretation of true intentions," Sasuke replied quietly, his nerves growing slightly colder under Itachi's gaze. He shifted his eyes away to avoid his brother's. "What's the point of living if you're living in a lie?"

Itachi stiffened slightly, but went unnoticed by Sasuke. His dark eyes were glazed, staring with empty indifference at the stone floor he sat upon. Quietly, he muttered, "Humans are selfish creatures. Sometimes they'll even hurt the ones they love just to be happy themselves."

Silence passed between them for a brief moment. Finally, Sasuke managed to mutter, "Luring the jinchuuriki, or whatever it was…that's not the real reason you have me here, is it?'

The older boy remained silent, turning his gaze to bore into Sasuke's eyes. They held their gazes even for a lasting moment before Itachi closed his eyes again. Still, he said nothing.

"You weren't supposed to be like this."

The soft whisper was so quiet, Sasuke had barely heard. His ears were strained, and for a moment, he believed he had imagined it. But then, Itachi spoke again.

"Hate me again, Sasuke."

Sasuke blinked in shock when he was suddenly roughly pushed back down on the mat. His head swam with dizziness before his vision cleared and he realized Itachi was hovering above him. Surprisingly, he could not feel the need to panic or get angry. He simply felt dizzy.

"If I do this, you'll hate me again," Itachi muttered to himself almost, as if he needed reassurance. Silently, he inched his palm across Sasuke's face. The fingers stopped their dance across the white skin when Sasuke's eyes suddenly closed his resignation and compliance. Itachi felt something inside his mentality snap. Roughly, he pulled the younger boy's arms above his head and pinned them to the ground with one hand on the wrists.

"Why are you so obedient?"

The teen turned his face to the side slightly, letting his long bangs fall over his eyes. Slowly, he opened his dark eyes and stared soullessly at the wall. In a dead tone, he muttered, "I don't remember anything anymore. How should I know how to react?"

Itachi paused for a moment before smirking slightly. Using his free hand to turn Sasuke's face upright again, he leaned over slowly until their cool lips crashed together. Once they parted, Itachi released the boy's hands and rose to his feet. Closing his eyes, his lips quirked up slightly. "As usual," he stated, "you're just a foolish little brother, Sasuke."

Sasuke lay on the mat silently for a moment as he listened to the sound of his older brother's feet quietly padding away. Suddenly, he called out, "Ani… Itachi."

The older boy paused in his tracks. Without turning back, he silently waited for further speech.

"Your eyes have gotten darker."

Staring straight ahead, Itachi stated simply before continuing again, "Ah. It's been getting a little harder to see your face lately."

Without another word, Itachi departed and Sasuke did nothing to stop him. At this point, words were already pointless between them.

---

It was hours later when the moon was high in the sky again when Kisame returned to help Sasuke change his bandages again. It seemed as if Sasuke had not moved at all from when he had last left, Kisame had thought. The boy lay still and quiet, gazing blankly up at the ceiling as if in a daze.

"Need to change those bandages again, kid," Kisame said rather brightly, taking a seat next to the boy.

"Kisame," Sasuke called suddenly, surprising the Akatsuki member.

Before the boy could say another word, Kisame grinned. "You don't like to use honorifics do you, Sasuke-kun? Completely different from Itachi-san. He's a gentleman, you know."

"Kisame."

"Yes, yes," Kisame sighed. "What is it?"

Eyes unwavering from the ceiling, Sasuke paused for a moment in his questioning. Still staring blankly up, his voice dropped a tone before he asked, "Is there something wrong with Itachi's eyes?"

Kisame stiffened before shrugging it off. Grinning, and almost laughing, he stated, "That's ridiculous, Sasuke-kun. Itachi-san's in top form these days. His sharingan is stronger than ever. What would made you think there was something wrong with his eyes?"

Closing his own dark eyes, Sasuke rested in silence for a moment before slowly sitting up to allow Kisame to re-bandage him. Holding his arm out to the shark-like man, he muttered, "Nothing."

Nodding in victory, Kisame began to unwrap the bandages on the boy's arms. "That's better," he said with a degree of more cheer. "You shouldn't doubt your brother. He's the most capable person there is here."

Memory straying back to how dark and hollow those eyes had looked hovering above him, Sasuke squeezed his already shut eyes tighter together, causing wrinkles to form on his forehead. Frustrated, he muttered under his breath, "Just for now."

"What was that?" Kisame asked, dropping the used bandages in a pile beside him. When Sasuke said nothing, clearly without intention to repeat what he had stated, Kisame sighed inwardly. As he was returning his concentration to the boy's bandaging, a deep red mark on the boy's wrists caught his attention. "Sasuke-kun, what happened to your wrists?"

Sasuke was silent for a long moment as he opened his eyes slowly. Avoiding the older man's gaze, he shifted his eyes towards the dark corner of the cave. Quietly, he stated firmly, "Nothing."

At that point, Kisame had an expression of affectionate exasperation on his face. Letting out another brief sigh, he commented, "At least you and Itachi-san share one thing in common. You both seem to avoid the use of words whenever possible."

As Kisame finished tying the bandage on the boy's arm, Sasuke let his mind stray until his consciousness replayed the split-second brief image of Itachi's sorrow in his face when he hovered over Sasuke over and over again. At such close proximity, it was almost impossible to miss, Sasuke thought to himself. Closing his eyes again and surrendering himself to darkness, he stated simply, "There's just nothing to say."

Kisame remained silent for a moment before frowning slightly. Taking Sasuke's other arm to be bandaged, he stated, "It's not that you have nothing to say, it's that you don't want to say anything. Jeez. You're both just little brats in the end."

Momentarily stunned, Sasuke felt his eyes widen slightly before he relaxed again. It was annoying, but the place he was in now was really his new "home." Or rather, wherever Itachi went would be his home. His lips faintly quirked up in a way similar to his brother's. Offhandedly, he commented, "I think Itachi might be interested in hearing about that last statement of yours…"

The frown on Kisame's face dragged lower. "You're mean, Sasuke-kun."

Lowering his head so that his bangs effectively hid his face, Sasuke smirked.

At that point, he had not yet noticed, but the dizziness in his mind had slowly faded away.

Tsuzuku.

* * *

**A/N:** Another weird-o chapter. Curses upon my inability to focus these days. Plus, there's the fact that my writing needs to undergo a bit of shining up. It's rusted and terrible these days. Blah. Oh, and all right, I'll admit it. I'm rather a fan of Sasori and Deidra, which is why they keep popping up everywhere. XP But it's not like there's many others to work with though… Ah… too bad. Anyway, expect the next chapter to go over poor Naruto's predicament a bit. 

So, tell me. Is this getting interesting yet? Or should I go flush it down a toilet? XD I'm not completely against the latter, you know. Well, leave me a nice comment, kk? I'll reward more fic ASAP this way. Hehe. Such terrible bribery.

Thanks for reading! Sorry for slowness. I'll work harder, promise. :D


	5. Phase Five

**Disclaimer:** Same as usual.

**Pairing:** Itachi x Sasuke, Naruto + Sasuke

**Note:** Meh. Deidra, Deidara. Ok, I changed it. xP

Destiny Rewritten

By: yukuro

Phase Five: Steps

The first time Naruto had felt complete and utter despair was when he had thought Sasuke had died beneath Haku's attack while protecting him. The second was when he awoke in the hospital without bringing Sasuke back home as he had promised. This was the third time.

Words could not express the gratitude and relief Naruto felt when they finally brought Sasuke back to Konoha after recovering him from Orochimaru. For two years, they lived in peace like that. At that time, Naruto had honestly felt as if time had turned backward to their first days together as genin. There was no Orochimaru, no Akatsuki, no overwhelming bitterness of revenge. It was the simple days all over again. At least for a short time it was.

Naruto stared up at his ceiling from his place on the bed. He had been locked in his house with his friends as guards for nearly three weeks already. He had tried to sneak out more than twenty times, and every time without fail, he would be caught.

He did not have many visitors at all, as most of his friends were posted as guards around every corner of his house while they did not have missions to fulfill. Hinata popped in a few times to bring him food, but was disappointed each time by Naruto's lack of vigor. Sakura was kept busy in the hospital to avoid any further entanglement with Naruto. When switching guard duty, Shikamaru, Kiba, and his other companions would poke their head in partly to make sure he was still there and partly to make sure he was holding up alright. Iruka visited as often as he could to offer whatever comforting words he could, but it was Kakashi that wore the most sorrowful expression whenever he made his frequent visits.

After the first week, Naruto noticed someone had been drugging his water. He was unsure of whether or not he should have been grateful. Without the drug, he never would have slept a wink. The thought of escaping and searching for Sasuke never for a moment left his mind, and that was the negative reasoning against the sleep-inducing drug. Sitting up abruptly, Naruto turned towards the window to gaze down at the streets.

Kiba and Shino were making their way towards the house, no doubt preparing to take over the shift. Naruto felt his eyes narrow slightly before he gave up and sighed. Tsunade may as well have had him thrown in jail.

Just as he squeezed his eyes shut in frustration, a knock sounded at his front door. He wanted to ignore it, but he rose to his feet anyway and slowly made his way to the door. Pulling it open half way, Naruto's tired blue eyes gazed out.

Kakashi stood before him, fresh from his latest mission. His eyes were tired and frustrated enough to rival Naruto's own. After mentally debating for a moment, Naruto pulled the door open the rest of the way for his sensei before turning to make his way to the kitchen where he pulled out a chair and dropped his head on the table.

"Iruka-sensei's really been worried about you," Kakashi said quietly, stepping in as he shut the door behind him. "Sakura and the rest of your friends too, and of course me as well."

"Shouldn't you be more worried about Sasuke?" Naruto mumbled into the table, the drug still not completely worn off. "He could be in danger. Someone could be hurting and manipulating him again. He could be…"

"Dead?"

Naruto stiffened significantly. Turning his head, he glared at his sensei with furiously blazing blue eyes. "Never," he snarled rather viciously. "Sasuke wouldn't die. He's not that weak."

Closing his eyes, Kakashi sighed. "Calm down," he said quietly, taking a seat across the table from the teen. "You should know already, Naruto. We're all worried about Sasuke, but what if he really left by his own will?"

"I…" Naruto began slowly, squeezing his eyes shut in frustrating simultaneously with his closing fist. "I can't believe that until I ask him for myself. I thought… I thought he was finally beginning to be happy again."

"No one can know that for sure and that's something you can't try to force into happening," Kakashi stated gravely, his expression slightly sullen. He looked tired and restless at the same time. Clearly, Naruto was not the only one concerned about Sasuke. Closing his eyes to let out a soft sigh, he said, "But, Naruto, there are some things you can change."

The blond gazed up at the older man wearily.

Kakashi let out another sigh. Equally as weary, he commented, "Sakura really is worried about you too."

"There's no one Sakura-chan cares for more than Sasuke," Naruto stated rather gloomily. "Why would she have to worry about me?"

"Don't forget you're her teammate as well," the older man replied, slightly exasperated. "It's because you haven't shown her your goofy smile lately that she's been worried. How can she not worry about you if you're so grave all the time like this?"

Squeezing his eyes shut rather painfully, Naruto burst out, "How can I smile when Sasuke isn't here!"

"Don't be selfish, Naruto," Kakashi chastised harshly. Sighing yet again, he calmed himself before speaking again. "We can't forget that Sasuke may have chosen to be where he is. Besides, you're making everyone worry about you too."

"I…I'm sorry, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto mumbled with remorse, genuinely sorry. He closed his eyes again and lowered his head for a moment. When he lifted his face again, he had a forced smile on his lips. "Ne, Kakashi-sensei, I'll be fine, really."

Kakashi remained silent. If he knew Naruto…

"Tell Sakura-chan that I'm sorry and not to worry about me."

He would likely do something…

Eyes blazing with seriousness while still a smile was on his lips, the blond said firmly, "I'm going to find Sasuke."

…incredibly stupid.

Kakashi watched in silence as Naruto scurried around his house, gathering traveling supplies. Just because he had been stopped once did not mean that he would stop. In fact, Naruto would simply try even harder after one first failure. Closing his eyes, Kakashi let out a soft smile. If anything he had learned over the years, it was never to try to stop Naruto when he tried one of his stunts. Simply believing in him would give better results.

"Naruto."

Amidst tossing various weapons into his pouch, Naruto glanced over his shoulder at the older man to blink his blue eyes questionably. Already he seemed more cheered at finally breaking the rules.

Letting out a soft chuckle, Kakashi stated cheerfully, "Don't get caught."

As much as he wanted to go out himself to look for Sasuke, Kakashi supposed it was a better place for him to stay and apologize to Tsunade for Naruto. Besides, Naruto was restless. It was unlikely that he would calm himself if he were not the one who personally went out to fetch Sasuke.

Eyes sparkling, Naruto beamed up at the older jounin with renewed zeal. Greatly encouraged, he called out happily, "Of course I won't!"

After a few more minutes of rummaging, Naruto slung his backpack over his shoulder and stepped towards the window. Pausing for a moment to feel the soft breeze on his face, Naruto took a deep breath. "I'm going, Kakashi-sensei. Cover me, will you?"

As Kakashi rose from his seat at the table and headed towards the door, his ears twitched slightly as he just barely heard Naruto whisper.

"Sasuke…I wonder if he's really happy…"

---

"You should be happy, Sasuke-kun," Kisame grumbled slightly as he set his sword down to sit more comfortably on the ground. "While you get to take a bath with Itachi-san, I have to sit here and keep guard."

Sasuke simply shrugged slightly as he peeled off his bandages with a slight grimace. Not too long ago, Itachi had announced that he was going to take a bath to clean up. That implied that Kisame was to keep watch, unsurprisingly. However, it _was_ surprising when Itachi had calmly told Sasuke to join him. Or at least, it invoked a few snickers from Deidara.

"Itachi-san usually gets really upset if someone sees him bathing. He's an incredibly private person you know," Kisame said with a sniff as Sasuke gingerly removed his shirt. He continued with somewhat grudgingly when Sasuke glanced at him questioningly, "Last time I just walked over by accident because…well, I'm not telling. But anyway, let's just say your brother was angry and I was hurt badly afterwards."

Smirking slightly in amusement, Sasuke lowered his head slightly to hide his grin. Somehow, it just _seemed_ like something that would happen between Kisame and Itachi.

"I know you're laughing at me, Sasuke-kun," Kisame stated with a frown. "But anyway, I guess Itachi-san doesn't mind with you since you're siblings."

"I seriously doubt that," Sasuke mumbled under his breath.

"What was that?"

Shaking his head, Sasuke made his way towards the bushes that separated him from the small lake Itachi was bathing in. Pausing for a moment, he smirked and called over his shoulder, "Have fun keeping watch. And no more peeking this time."

"I never said that's what I did!" Kisame called after him with a deeper frown.

Grinning, Sasuke jogged the rest of the way to the edge of the water. He gazed out across the silvery water for a moment before gingerly dipping his foot in. He winced slightly. As he suspected, the water was freezing. Flattening his lips, Sasuke braced himself before slowly dipping his other foot in. Once he waded in to his knees, he was shivering. Just as he turned around to go back, he felt a massive splash of water crash into his back. Sputtering, he turned around, bewildered.

Itachi smirked faintly in a most evil manner. Flicking more water at the bewildered younger boy, he asked in amusement, "Where are you going? Water too cold for you?"

"I-I'm n-not cold," Sasuke sputtered again, narrowing his eyes slightly. In a flash, his eyes shot back open again when Itachi pulled his body up to his chin under the icy water.

Itachi watched in amusement as Sasuke popped back up again to stare wide-eyed at him and wave his arms around frantically. Raising an eyebrow, he commented off-handedly, "You were saying?"

Frowning, Sasuke splashed back at the older boy. But his attempt was futile as Itachi was already completely wet and used to the water anyway. Itachi's eyes flashed in amusement again anyway, and before either of them knew it, they had engaged in a water fight.

Amidst splashing and squirting water, Sasuke realized he was actually enjoying himself. A wave of relief set in. After days of tenseness around Itachi, this sudden interaction made it feel as if the dark cloud had lifted slightly.

"If you're distracted, you'll lose."

Sasuke jumped slightly when he felt warmth breath on his ear as those words were whispered. He frowned slightly. No matter how he tried, Itachi would always be unsurpassable in speed. Just as he turned around, a had caught his wrist and another splash of water hit his face. Sputtering, he shot a glare at the older boy in retaliation. Much to his surprise, however, the grip on his wrist was not released. Instead, the grip dragged him forward until his eyes were mere centimeters from the other boy's.

Slowly, the grip on his wrist loosened but stayed in contact with the younger boy's skin. Softly, fingers were dragged up his arm. Sasuke froze for a moment but then softened and turned his face slightly to the side when those touches began to burn like fire. Despite the chilly water, he felt his body heat up.

Itachi slowly lifted his other hand out of the water to take a grip on the younger boy's chin. Silently, he turned the boy's face until they faced each other again. Sasuke's eyes were squeezed closed and his brows furrowed slightly.

When Itachi pulled him closer, Sasuke jaw drop slightly open in surprise. The skin of their cool bare chests brushed together, and suddenly, Sasuke felt overly weak. Unconsciously, he slumped forward as the older boy continued to trace his body with slim, cool fingers. Never once did he resist though.

Gazing down at the top of the dark head that was dripping with water, Itachi remained silent as he traced circles on the younger boy's back. He silently observed how Sasuke's face suddenly flushed a bit and he lowered his head yet again to hide it.

"Why so shy now?" Itachi muttered in amusement, dipping his fingers a bit lower down the boy's back until he gasped. Smirking in satisfaction, Itachi redirected his attention to the top of the boy's head. "Didn't you always want to take baths with me when you were younger?"

Biting on his lip in attempt to stop himself from further embarrassing himself, Sasuke shoot his head, gasping out weakly, "No…"

Itachi suddenly grinned evilly and pulled his hands away. In a quick motion, he dumped a large amount of water from his cupped hands. Again enjoying the sight of Sasuke sputtering in the water, Itachi commented in amusement, "Liar."

Sasuke glared at him, partly in embarrassment and partly in annoyance.

"Didn't you used to beg me too?" Itachi whispered into Sasuke's ear from behind, making the boy flush again. "So, why so shy now?"

"Shut up," Sasuke mumbled in mortification, pulling half of his face under the surface of the water and glancing away from his brother.

Suddenly, he felt as if time had turned backwards, and they were children again, splashing water at each other in the large bathtub at home. Itachi was always saying teasing things, and Sasuke, upon receiving those comments, puffed out his cheeks and hid his pout beneath the bubbles that floated along the surface. The last thing he wanted was for Itachi to see him as pouting child.

"There's no bubbles to hide you this time," Itachi muttered, surprising Sasuke. It was almost as if they had been thinking the same thing.

Sasuke blinked when Itachi's expression suddenly grew grave again. He remained silent when the older boy swiftly pulled him close again. Breath caught in his throat, Sasuke stood motionless as his brother awkwardly held him.

Once his breath returned, Sasuke relaxed and closed his eyes. If there was nothing he remembered, then he would simply have to use the memories he had left. Slowly bringing his arms up to wrap around Itachi's back, Sasuke lowered his head. Even if there were bubbles, he would not need them anymore.

This was a small step, but at least it was a step towards the future.

"As usual," Itachi muttered suddenly, making Sasuke open his eyes. Suddenly grinning, Itachi pushed the younger boy over and the two of them broke the surface of the water yet again. Itachi licked his lips as Sasuke brought his head back out of the water. "You're such a naïve kid."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow in response as he watched his older brother get back on his feet. Grinning back, he grabbed a hold of Itachi's wrist and pulled him back down under the water again. When Itachi's head popped back up with a very slight look of incredibility on his face, Sasuke smirked. "And you're naïve for thinking _I'm_ naïve."

In retaliation, Itachi grabbed Sasuke's wrist and pulled him forward. Capturing his cold lips in a heated kiss, Itachi gazed down into Sasuke's easily submitting eyes. The second they broke apart, two splashes of water crashed in between them.

At least in terms of bathwater fights, they were about equal. Of course, Itachi dominated just a bit more. Sasuke hated that.

One could almost safely say they were happy.

"They sure are loud, un?"

If Sasori could frown and roll his eyes, he would have.

"It's hard for other people to bathe," Deidara complained, parting the plants again to glance over at the two brothers still splashing away. "I bet they completely forgot we're over here. Those two are just having fun by themselves. I'm jealous, un."

Directing a rather wicked grin over his shoulder at Sasori, he asked controversially innocently, "Don't you want to join me, Sasori-danna? Or are you just going to sit there and watch?"

"Shut up and finish already," Sasori snapped irritably.

Flipping his long hair over his shoulder, Deidara turned and grinned cheekily up at his partner who was safely sitting on the bank. "Well, if you're in that much of a hurry, you can scrub my back for me."

Sasori glared.

"How uncharitable, Sasori-danna," Deidara stated, sticking his tongue out.

"Brat."

"Watching me doesn't constitute as 'keeping watch,' you know," the long haired boy drawled in amusement, splashing a bit of water up at his partner.

Sasori glared again. A death glare.

Deidara grinned back.

For a while, living would be easy.

Tsuzuku.

* * *

**A/N:** Merry Christmas, everyone! A bit more of a light-hearted chapter for the holidays. :D Anyway, people who are yelling, "Get to the point already!" need to take it easy! I'm getting there! I promise. XD 

I'm starting to love Deidara and Sasori so much more. You'll have to excuse my random insertions of them. Heh.

That's it!

Merry Christmas! Make my holiday and review! XP


	6. Phase Six

**Disclaimer:** Shino pwns. Yay. n.nV

**Pairing:** Itachi x Sasuke, Naruto + Sasuke

Destiny Rewritten

By: yukuro

Phase Six: Destined Meeting

"Kakashi, what is the meaning of this?"

Kakashi smiled sheepishly with a mixed expression of apology and at the same time did not seem apologetic for his actions. After Naruto had gotten away with only a bit of a struggle, as his friends let him escape rather easily, Kakashi had turned himself in to Tsunade in hope that the other teens would not be punished. He said nothing in his defense and simply smiled a bit hopelessly.

To say the least, Tsunade was not very pleased. This was a direct violation of her orders. Of course she knew that Kakashi was not the only hand in letting Naruto escape, but he _was_ the one who was directly responsible. She sighed slightly as the jounin continued to smile sheepishly at her.

At that moment, despite Shizune's protests against so, Sakura and several others burst into the spacious office. Tsunade lifted her weary eyes for a moment before sighing and rubbing her temples again.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura exclaimed with wide eyes, making her way towards the man. "N-Naruto… Did you really let him go after Sasuke-kun!"

At this point, Ino made her way over to her friend to nudge the girl slightly before motioning towards Tsunade. Sakura turned, tears already shimmering in her eyes. "Tsunade-sama, please don't punish Kakashi-sensei and Naruto."

"If anyone, we should be punished," Shino piped up, making Kiba gruffly fold his arms in annoyance. "After all, we were the ones on duty while Naruto escaped."

Tsunade felt a headache coming on. She calmly shifted her eyes to and from each member in the room. Then, while still calm and collected, she stated coolly, "The punishment will be extended to all of you for direct violation of my orders."

For a moment, everyone in the room held their breath in anticipation. Only Kakashi could calmly return Tsunade's cool gaze.

"From now," Tsunade began smoothly, closing her eyes, "until Naruto returns, you are all to carry on with your missions and you are all forbidden to go after him."

At that moment, everyone breathed again. Looks of disbelief and relief passed throughout the room while in the center, Kakashi gratefully closed his eyes and bowed gracefully in gratitude. Soon after him, Sakura wiped away the tears of gratitude that had threatened to fall and similarly bowed to a ninety-degree angle. One by one, each person in the room bowed low to show their thanks.

Nodding slightly, Tsunade waved her hand to motion for them to rise. Sighing softly, she simply hoped Naruto would be able to return in success. She deeply wanted to push away the terrible feeling that failure was imminent.

In the end, would Sasuke really want to return?

--- ---

"Hurry up, Sasuke-kun!" Kisame called as the teen quickly pulled on his shoes. Grinning, he commented, "You never know when Itachi-san will lose his patience."

Itachi shot Kisame a look.

Rising to his feet, Sasuke turned and jogged towards the two. It was now more than a month since he had come to be with Akatsuki. He still knew little about their organization and even littler about their plans, but at least he could live with a bit of peace. Or rather, without constant attacks upon him seeing as Sasori and Deidara had given up on that. In fact, it seemed as if Deidara had grown rather fond of the boy.

The moment Sasuke had caught up, Itachi turned and walked ahead, leading the way as always. Kisame waited and walked along once Sasuke was at his side. It was, after all, their traveling pattern these days.

"Bring me some dango and manju buns back!" Deidara called cheerfully as he hung from the ceiling of the cave near the mouth just as the trio was passing by. Frowning a bit, he added in a huff, "Sasori-danna won't let me go. He thinks I'll cause trouble."

Kisame was the only one that waved a bit to the blond before the three exited the cave. Sasuke simply glanced at the blond before trotting after his brother. It did get taxing after a while to endure Deidara's random, rather violent hugs. But then again, another reason Deidara was not allowed to go was probably due to the fact that it _was_ Iwagakure they were visiting.

Sasuke blinked when he suddenly felt a palm push down on the brim of his grass hat. Frowning, he turned to stare up at Kisame, who was grinning in amusement. With a bit of irritation in his voice, Sasuke asked as he re-adjusted his hat, "What?"

"Itachi-san hates going on re-stock duty," Kisame commented as Sasuke pulled on a dark cloak. He grinned a bit wider when the boy turned to raise an eyebrow at him. "But he agreed so willingly this time."

"What's your point?" Sasuke asked with a frown.

"Isn't it because you were getting restless staying here and doing nothing?" Kisame replied in amusement. His eyes sharpened with glee when Sasuke turned his head a bit to hide whatever embarrassment he may have been feeling. Really, the teen was too easy to figure out. Offhandedly, he mused aloud, "Itachi-san is a good brother, isn't he?"

"I can hear you," Itachi called simply from ahead, making Kisame wince visibly. Pointedly, he went on, "Hurry up."

Sasuke kept his face turned until he was able to subdue the grin that had crept onto his lips. True, he had begun to feel restless staying in the cave all the time, but he had never openly complained to anyone. He had expected that even _if_ Itachi knew, he would not bother to do anything about it. Apparently, he was wrong.

"We're going, Sasuke-kun," Kisame grumbled, placing his hat on his head before turning to wait for the teen. Once Sasuke caught up, Kisame sighed loudly. Miserably, he muttered, "It's impossible to beat Itachi-san's super-hearing these days."

"What do you mean, 'these days?'" Sasuke asked as he trekked ahead. He turned his head slightly to examine the expression on the shark-man's face.

Kisame frowned a bit before going on to explain with caution, "His hearing has gotten better. Some of his other senses too. Sorry, but that's all I can tell you."

The teen mirrored Kisame's frown as he returned his gaze to the front. The fact that something was being hidden from him was irritating, but this was as good as it would get. After all, his relationship with Itachi never did consist of many words or sharing secrets at all. Closing his eyes in frustration, Sasuke decided to ignore it. He quickly pushed the issue to the back of his mind.

They walked in silence the rest of the way. Sasuke was surprised that they were not far from the village at all. It was strange that he had not noticed on the way to the cave. He frowned a bit. His observation skills were lacking.

When they stepped into the village, Sasuke realized that he had never been in the Hidden Rock Village before. It looked more or less like Konoha, but the feel was definitely different. Konoha had always felt secure. This village felt more like some kind of adventure.

"Be careful where you're going, Sasuke-kun," Kisame warned, tapping the teen's shoulder a bit. "There are actually a lot of brothels around here so make sure you don't interact with some shady-looking people."

At this, Sasuke had to snort a bit with laughter. Smirking, he shot back, "And you don't think that you and Itachi are shady-looking people too?"

"Mean, Sasuke-kun," Kisame sniffed, flicking the boy's hat up a bit. "I was just looking out for you too as an adult."

Sasuke grinned in amusement as he re-adjusted his hat. Itachi was up ahead, waiting patiently for them to catch up. Directing another smirk at Kisame, Sasuke held his hat in place with one hand and dashed to catch up with Itachi. It felt good to finally be able to stretch his legs after being cooped up in the cave for so long.

"He's actually right," Itachi stated simply once Sasuke caught up to him. "Be careful."

"I can take care of myself," Sasuke muttered with a certain degree of embarrassment and irritation. Suddenly, it felt as if he was a child again and Itachi was babysitting him as they went out to get groceries for their mother. Beside him, Kisame had a satisfied look on his face that plainly stated, "I told you so." In the spirit of childishness, Sasuke had the strong urge to stick his tongue out at the shark-man, but he quickly suppressed the urge since Itachi was standing at his side.

"You've never been here before, naa?" Kisame asked, nudging the teen slightly. He grinned toothily as Sasuke glared up at him. "May as well go see the temple."

"Aren't you a little relaxed at a time like this?" Sasuke replied with a frown as Kisame pulled him along. He glanced over his shoulder back at Itachi, who still remained rooted to the spot.

"Don't worry," Kisame stated in amusement, noticing the direction of Sasuke's gaze. "I'll return you to Itachi-san in no time."

"I-Idiot," Sasuke scowled, snapping his head forward again.

"Ah, it really is hard to deal with you two bro-cons," Kisame commented, making Sasuke's murderous aura flare up. Turning slightly, he smirked down at the teen. "You really can't take a joke, can you?"

Sasuke simply glared.

As the pair made their way towards the temple, Itachi was surveying their surroundings. Slowly, he directed his gaze up towards the sky. He had a feeling—no, he was sure of it. The jinchuuriki was definitely here.

--- ---

Naruto yawned loudly as he slumped into a seat in the restaurant he had just walked in. Leaning over onto the table, he let out an audible sigh as he waved to the waitress for tea. He had been searching for weeks now, and although he hated to admit it, he was beginning to think his wandering was futile.

When he escaped from Konoha, he had not a clue where to start. He just knew that he had to get far away in case Tsunade decided to send someone after him. He _did_ directly defy her, after all. So far, it seemed no one was tailing him, but he had not made any progress with his search either. Everywhere he went, there seemed to be no signs of any member of the Akatsuki organization.

He thanked the waitress as she placed a steaming cup of tea before him. He took a sip gingerly, letting the warm liquid slide down his throat. It was three days since he had properly rested, and although he normally would have continued anyway, weeks of continuous days without rest were beginning to catch up with him.

The blond leaned back on his seat and closed his eyes. For now, he would have to check into a hotel and get some rest. Chances were low that he would find Sasuke in the Stone Country.

His first target had definitely been the Hidden Sound Village, but once he found it to be deserted, he began to wander from country to country. He had been to the Wave Country, the Sand Village to ask Gaara, and even the Hidden Mist Village. He sighed yet again. There was definitely no clue to finding Sasuke.

Easing his eyes open again, Naruto turned slightly to gaze out the window. For the most part, this village looked lively enough, unlike the other cities in the Stone Country, but there was nothing to attract Akatsuki. He supposed he should just get some rest and move on as soon as possible. Although, he thought with a grimace, it couldn't hurt to question a few people here as well. After all, the black cloak and red cloud combination should not be that hard to miss.

As he scanned the streets wearily, Naruto latched his eyes on a strange looking pair heading for the temple. Although they wore long black cloaks and straw hats, the pair definitely did not have the trademark Akatsuki cloak. Naruto sighed again and watched the pair until they disappeared around the corner. His senses were nagging at him for some reason, and if he were not so tired, he probably would have suspected something.

Rising as he paid for the tea, Naruto slung his bag over his shoulder again and made his way towards the door. First, he needed sleep. After that, he could eat and do some investigating. Stretching his arms up, he yawned yet again. He felt as if he could sleep for two days straight.

"Yosh," he mumbled as he spotted a hotel. Emitting another yawn, he slowly made his way towards the building.

--- ---

The temple was extremely large. Sasuke was not going to admit it, but he was impressed. The temple in this city had to have been at least three times as large as the one in Konoha. Shaking his head when he realized Kisame was grinning down at him, Sasuke turned his face. Well, it was not as if he went to temple everyday anyway.

"Not going to make a wish?" Kisame asked in amusement as he pulled on the rope to ring the bell before clapping his hands a few times. He snickered slightly as Sasuke folded his arms behind him.

"Fine then," he said with a shrug. Clapping his hands one last time, Kisame stated aloud, "Then, I wish that Zetsu would find someone else to water him, and that Sasuke-kun and Itachi-san finally stop being stubborn and bratty all the time."

Sasuke frowned visibly at the man when he turned around again. Frown deepening a bit, he demanded, "What kind of wish was that?"

"Ah, you're right," Kisame mused aloud. "I guess I should have wished for you two to finally have your moment together."

Eyes widening slightly in disbelief, Sasuke sputtered, "What the hell is that supposed to mean!"

"I guess it's too early for you," Kisame replied simply, patting the teen's back. Ignoring Sasuke's murderous aura that had flared yet again, the shark-like man adjusted his hat and made his way down the steps again. "Well, are you coming, Sasuke-kun? We've got to catch up with Itachi-san."

Frown still settled on his face, Sasuke followed the man down the steps obediently. The matter was yet to be settled, and Sasuke was annoyed, but somehow, the outing was almost pleasant for the most part.

"Deidara wants manju and dango," Kisame muttered to himself as he folded his arms. He shrugged as Sasuke looked up at him. Snickering to himself, he commented, "We might finish it all before we some get back him."

"You're going to get blown up," Sasuke stated simply.

"It pains me that you down on me so much, Sasuke-kun," Kisame said with a fake frown. Lifting his arm, he ruffled the teen's hair, making Sasuke stare up indignantly at him. In response, Kisame simply grinned. "At least I can still do that."

"You two," Itachi called as Kisame and Sasuke approached him. "We have to leave."

"Already?" Kisame asked in surprise. "I don't think we got all the supplies yet. At least the medicinal herbs…"

"We'll get it next time," Itachi stated curtly, turning towards the front gate. He flatly ignored Kisame and Sasuke's confused expressions. "Let's go."

Kisame and Sasuke exchanged glances briefly, but neither one spoke up against Itachi. Silently, they obeyed and trekked after him. That is, until the wind blew Sasuke's hat off his head.

"I told you to hold onto that," Kisame chastised, folding his arms as Sasuke turned to run after it. "Hurry up and catch it."

"I know!" Sasuke called back irritably, dashing after his hat as it skittered across the ground. He cursed lightly under his breath as he dodged civilians to catch up with his hat.

Suddenly, the chase ended in the street, and someone picked up the stray hat that had conveniently landed at his feet.

"Ah," the stranger said cheerfully, as he dusted the dirt off of the hat. "Is this yo—…"

Sasuke looked up.

"Sa… Sasuke…?" Naruto whispered in disbelief, eyes growing wide with disbelief. Slowly, he took a step forward, reaching his hand out. His senses slowly returned as the weariness faded from his body. Joy resonated in his voice when he called out again with more energy, "Sasuke!"

Standing up straight again, Sasuke eyed the teen before him before asking bluntly, "Who are you?"

"Let's go, Sasuke," Itachi called coolly from behind, not even acknowledging Naruto. "You're making a scene."

Sasuke glanced merely once at Naruto's crushed expression again, and that was only to snatch his hat back. Without another word to the friend he never knew he had, Sasuke dashed off after Itachi and Kisame. Before Naruto could return to reality, the trio disappeared out of the village and back into the forest.

"So that's why," Kisame muttered to Itachi as they jumped from tree to tree at top speed away from Naruto's broken form. With understanding in his voice, Kisame stated, "You really do what to keep Sasuke-kun to yourself, don't you? The jinchuuriki, you don't even care about him anymore, right?"

Itachi said nothing in reply. He simply closed his eyes for a moment before fixing his gaze straight ahead again.

"I don't have a problem with that," Kisame said with whatever shrug he could manage as they jumped. "You're human after all, Itachi-san. Don't worry. I won't say anything to the others. But you can't expect him not to chase after Sasuke-kun. Speaking of Sasuke-kun, I wonder what he's thinking at this time."

Itachi glanced back out of the corner of his eye. Sasuke was behind them, but it seemed that he had less vigor than before. There was no way to tell for sure whether or not seeing his friend triggered his memory back. Closing his eyes again, Itachi returned his gaze to the front. He would know soon enough. If Sasuke did remember, he could fully expect having a kunai pointed at his throat the moment he closed his eyes to sleep.

The moment they returned to the cave, Deidara flanked them, wondering why they were back so early. While Kisame offered some excuse that he came up with, Itachi strode away quickly into the shadows of the inner cave. Before Sasuke could make a move to follow him, he was glomped by Deidara again, effectively getting trapped in the blond's grasp.

It was not until the moon was high in the sky before Sasuke and Itachi saw each other again. Itachi had paused as the teen was pulling a different shirt over his head to sleep in. So far, he had seen no signs of Sasuke's memory returning, but it was too early to call it safe. Silently, he edged away from his younger brother.

"Wait," Sasuke's voice came suddenly, making Itachi pause in his steps. Slowly, the teen rose, making his way steadily towards his older brother. Once he stood only a step away from Itachi, he closed his eyes and muttered, "I can't feel it anymore. My existence. Let me confirm it."

Silently and slowly, Itachi lifted his hand to trace his fingers gingerly across Sasuke's cold lips. The younger boy was obedient, his eyes not even opening. Risking a gamble, Itachi leaned over and placed a chaste kiss on the boy's lips before drawing away again.

For once, Sasuke was not satisfied. In an instant, his arms shot up and pulled Itachi back down again for a kiss that was far less than chaste. Itachi was slightly surprised, but resigned and fought back with his tongue for dominance. Sasuke was strange today. It had to have been because of the jinchuuriki. However, this was not the outcome Itachi had expected.

The sensation of their lips crashed together began to make both feel wild with sin. Sasuke tugged eagerly at his brother's long coat while Itachi's own hands roamed up the younger boy's shirt, their lips still latched in a heated battle all the while.

When they fell back, Sasuke winced slightly as his head hit the stone lightly. He panted slightly from their kiss battle. In an instant, however, his breathing evened again as he gazed up at Itachi, who hovered over him.

"Why?" Itachi muttered, staring evenly back into Sasuke's eyes. "Is this the kind of existence you want?"

"Better than none at all," Sasuke replied before attacking Itachi's lips again. He emitted a light, muffled gasp when their lips parted and Itachi pulled him into a tight embrace.

Whatever he was feeling from the day, Sasuke was sure Itachi would be able to help melt away.

Tsuzuku.

--- --- ---

**A/N:** Uhm, yes. The plot is starting to move along. What a frightening concept. XD The climax is on its way. Yay-ness! This is such a weird fic. Geh, but it's fun to write weird things.

Thanks very much for reading. Now click the review button because I will give you cookies. XD (and if you don't want them from me, Sasuke will take them instead because he is such an emo-child n.n)


	7. Phase Seven

**Disclaimer:** Refer to whatever chapter I actually wrote this in.

**Pairing:** Itachi x Sasuke, Naruto + Sasuke

Destiny Rewritten

By: yukuro

Phase Seven: Counterattack

The forest was growing damp with all the rain that had been falling. Fortunately for Naruto, it was beginning to let up. The blond frowned as he shook his head, swishing all the water off in the process. Although he was dazed at the time, he did have enough sense to follow Sasuke when he departed. For the last two days, he had been waiting outside of the cave, hoping Sasuke would come out sooner or later. After all, it would have been ridiculous to charge in to the Akatsuki hideout alone as tempting as it was. Escaping with Sasuke was his priority. He would have to think things through.

While he waited, he finally got some time to think. At the time, he was shocked that Sasuke could not remember him. He was even more shocked that Sasuke was willingly with Itachi and not trying to kill him. Something definitely had happened, Naruto thought bitterly. Clenching his fists, he muttered to himself, "Itachi that bastard… What did he do to Sasuke?"

Naruto had already counted more than five people coming in and out of the cave the last two days, but none of them were Sasuke or Itachi. Kisame too, had not been one to go out. Naruto bit his lip in frustration. They must have known he would follow, and they were definitely hiding Sasuke inside. That just proved even more to Naruto that Itachi had done something to Sasuke. After all, if Sasuke knew that he was outside, he would definitely have come out to meet him by now, right?

Something twisting inside Naruto's stomach made him grimace. Something was not right. He hated that feeling. He squeezed his eyes shut in annoyance and angrily ran a hand through his blond hair. Why did it feel as if he was the only one who wanted to bring Sasuke home?

How could Sasuke not remember him? They had been through too much together to forget. Naruto clenched his fist again and drove it into the rocky ground. It was impossible to forget the pain he felt when Sasuke and turned to ask coldly, "Who are you?"

Even though the blood gushed from his knuckles, Naruto felt more of a pain in his chest. The first time when Orochimaru took Sasuke away, Naruto could not bear it. This time was no different. Why did Sasuke have to be so stubborn? Why couldn't he just stay with him and the others back in Konoha?

The answer was a bit difficult to admit, but Naruto did not even want to think of that option. That, however, did not change the fact that the option was still there. Because of that option, Kakashi was worried about him. Sighing slightly, Naruto hastily wiped the blood off his knuckles.

Perhaps it was when Sasuke asked, "Who are you?" when Naruto realized. As he was, he was more pathetic than Sasuke. The reason he wanted so desperately to bring Sasuke back was more because he wanted to feel Sasuke's presence more than it was simply bring him home away from the clutches of Akatsuki. Somehow, Naruto realized, he just needed Sasuke nearby, even if it was selfish. More than anything, he wanted Sasuke back. That was why no matter what, he would see Sasuke. Even if he had to wait for weeks at a time.

The sun was beginning to set. Naruto crouched lower into the bushes, clearing his mind and concentrating his sight on the sealed mouth of the cave. He felt like jumping up and charging in while screaming for Sasuke to come home, but that would have gotten him nowhere. Silently, he cursed himself. Really, if he hadn't fought with Sasuke that night before he disappeared, something, somehow, may have been different.

Even though he knew he was being exactly the type of fool he hated for longing to change the inevitable past, he could not help but think that way. Whenever it came down to Sasuke, there was never a moment in which Naruto did not wish he could go back into the past and rewrite an event or two because Sasuke had become a person he would never be able to give up to anyone. The Sasuke he secretly admired, the Sasuke he had set his goals on—life was simply too cruel without him.

Just when Naruto was about to let out a sigh, there was a faint rustling in the bushes that made the blond's ears perk. Staying crouched low in the bush, Naruto strained his ears to ear while letting his blue eyes dart back and forth, searching for the source of the sound. Then, he spotted them.

Two figures not too far away, standing near the edge of the forest, stood out with their trademark dark Akatsuki cloaks. Naruto tensed. It was definitely not anyone he had wanted to see, but it was more their conversation that made his interest rise. He was sure he had heard Sasuke's name uttered, but he dared not get any closer. Already as he was, he was cutting it close.

"Itachi's in trouble this time," the one on the right was saying with dark amusement. "His weakness for his brother is starting to show."

Naruto's eyes narrowed and his teeth clenched with resolution. Whatever he was hearing, it was good. He had to keep listening at all costs. If he was lucky, the two may unknowingly reveal a way for him to save Sasuke.

"Speaking of Sasuke," the other began, turning to the first. "I heard something happened when they got back from the Hidden Rock Village. Kisame says its nothing, but it looks suspicious to me. Itachi's been covering for Sasuke too."

The one on the right let out a wicked-sounding laugh. "Itachi must definitely be weakening then. He can't even keep his little brother in check after erasing his memories. What a hopeless guy."

At this comment, Naruto's brows furrowed. Sasuke's memories were erased? That explained a bit about why Sasuke was unable to recognize him last time. Still, Naruto frowned before swinging a punch into his palm. That bastard Itachi would definitely pay for messing with Sasuke's mind. Why else would Sasuke stay with that murderous traitor willingly?

"Now that you mention Itachi's weakness," the one on the left said musingly. "Didn't you hear? Itachi is…"

Naruto's eyes grew wide.

He had to save Sasuke. They had to escape. Any longer and it would definitely be too late.

Squeezing his eyes shut, Naruto tightened his fists.

"Sasuke…"

--- ---

Kisame sighed. He never would have guessed, but Itachi was preoccupied. Both Itachi and Sasuke did not leave the cave since they returned from the Hidden Rock Village. Both were quiet and insufferable as always, but the air between them had grown considerably tense. Letting out another sigh, Kisame wondered what had happened between them that he had missed. Whatever it was, it was driving him insane with their silence.

Shifting his eyes from Sasuke to Itachi then back again as they drank tea silently, Kisame felt a frown settle on his face. He was sure that Itachi knew the jinchuuriki was outside. What was strange was that he had not let any of the others go capture the little spy yet. Apparently, capture meant bringing the jinchuuriki into the cave and bringing him into the cave meant that Sasuke would see him again. It was strange for Itachi to be concerned about a matter such as this, but it was also strange for Sasuke not to care at all.

Before Kisame could sigh yet again, he was interrupted by the quiet padding of feet. He looked up in surprise to see Sasori with Deidara standing a few feet behind him staring pointedly at Itachi. Slowly, Kisame returned his gaze to Itachi, who was still calmly sipping tea from his cup. Quietly, he called, "Itachi-san…"

Hardly sparing the pair a glance, Itachi quietly placed his cup on the ground. His eyes lingered on Sasuke as the teen similarly placed his cup down. Neither spoke.

"The jinchuuriki's been just outside for almost three days already," Sasori stated coolly, dark eyes set icily on Itachi. "Remind me again why we haven't gone out to fetch him yet? Itachi?"

Itachi said nothing. He simply continued to gaze at Sasuke as the younger boy poured more tea into their cups. Silently, Itachi lifted his cup again to take a sip. Still, he said nothing to Sasori.

"Sasori-danna has a point," Deidara called from behind, folding his arms and tapping his foot. "Isn't this the reason you brought your cute little brother here? Aren't you going to respond, Itachi?"

When again there was no response, Sasori glared darkly at Itachi before stating coldly, "This is exactly why we should have killed him earlier. As long as your brother is with you, you'll be weak. Is that what you want? Like this, you deserve to die too."

Slowly, Itachi closed his eyes and placed his teacup down again. Then silently, he rose to his feet to face Sasori with an even gaze.

Kisame was surprised at this sudden action. Rising to his feet as well, he questioned quietly, "Itachi-san? Are you going…?"

Before Sasori could call Itachi's name again, Sasuke's voice intercepted, "Itachi…"

The instant Sasuke's voice broke in, Itachi turned away from the others to gaze at Sasuke, who had just also gotten to his feet. Silently and slowly, Itachi lifted his hand to lightly push Sasuke's bangs out of the way of his eyes. Once again, they engaged in a silent exchange of gazes.

Understanding their meaning, Kisame quickly stepped in the way of Sasori and Deidara's gaze. Sasori's eyes narrowed evenly up at the shark-like man, and Deidara simply frowned at not being able to witness the scene. Holding his arms out, Kisame began to usher the pair away. "Itachi-san will take care of the jinchuuriki, so please. Give them a moment for now."

Once the three other Akatsuki members had disappeared, the remaining two instantly crashed their lips together as if they were tasting water for the first time after wandering in the desert for days. As always, Sasuke's eyes were shut almost painfully and Itachi's eyes were calm and open.

Once they parted for air, Sasuke sank back down onto his heels, his brows furrowed. That unsettling feeling had returned. The feeling that he had not felt since the time he was first brought to this place. He thought he had long forgotten it, yet it still lingered in the back of his mind. It was only pushed forward again now by the surge of events that had suddenly occurred.

Why was he here? The real reason.

It had been three days already. Three days of confusion, conflict, then acceptance. The problem was that even though his body had been reassured, his mind was beginning to demand answers again despite how he had decided not to question anymore.

"If," Sasuke began slowly, feeling Itachi's eyes on him, but not bringing his gaze to meet the other's, "you really had brought me here to capture the jinchuuriki, it would have made sense."

Quietly, Itachi asked, "Is that acceptable to you?"

"At least it's a reason I can understand," Sasuke replied in frustration, clenching his fists. "Like this, I don't know what I'm doing anymore."

Silence passed between them again. Finally, Sasuke lifted his head up again, only to find that Itachi was gazing over the top of his head. The silence lingered. Unable to find anything else to say, Sasuke narrowed his eyes in frustration at the ground.

Eyes still fixed somewhere unknown, Itachi finally spoke again, "Selfishness is natural in humans. They don't need a reason to explain it."

Semi-mock smirk settling on his lips, Sasuke let out a short burst of laughter. Expression twisted with emotions that he had thought were lost to him, Sasuke commented in a strained tone, "When you say that, are you talking about me or you?"

"Ask yourself that," Itachi muttered in reply. Finally bringing his gaze back down to Sasuke's face, he reached over and pulled the teen close again. They stared evenly at each other for a moment lashing out at each other with their lips. They were already drowning in sin anyway.

"Are you sure that was a good idea?" Deidara asked in amusement, turning away from the corner he had been using to spy on Itachi and Sasuke. He glanced at Kisame out of the corner of his eye. "To send those two out to spill about Itachi and Sasuke? That jinchuuriki kid is going to be mad, un."

Kisame was quiet for a moment before closing his eyes and shrugging gruffly. With a bit of annoyance, he stated while crossing his arms, "It was Itachi-san's idea. I was against it."

"After all that trouble of keeping him, he's trying to drive his cute little brother away?" Deidara questioned, raising an eyebrow. "He's a strange guy after all. Sasori-danna would be murderous if he heard this."

"That's why you're not going to tell him," Kisame said flatly, shooting the blond a sharp glance.

Smirking, Deidara rested his hands behind his head. He commented in amusement, "You're actually quite loyal to your partner for someone in Akatsuki, ne?"

"You too," Kisame replied rather dryly.

The blond smirked wider. "Maybe. It's not like I can't keep secrets though. Ah, just this once should be fine," he mused aloud. "I'll miss dear Sasuke-chan though. He really is a cute kid, un. I wish I had more time to play with him."

At that, Kisame grinned toothily.

"Who said he wasn't coming back?"

--- ---

Naruto's senses were heightened. After the two he had been spying on disappeared into the cave again, his purpose and determination had been completely renewed. Whatever doubts he had before of Sasuke hating him and such had disappeared now he knew what was going on.

Now that he knew, he only wanted to kill Itachi even more.

The sound of footsteps from the direction of the mouth of the cave made Naruto's ears twitch again. Cautiously, he ducked lower into the foliage while attentively drawing his gaze towards the source of the sound. Then, his breath was caught in his throat.

"Sa… _Sasuke_!" Naruto exclaimed to himself in a hoarse whisper of excitement that could barely be suppressed. It took every ounce of his self-restraint not to jump out of his hiding space and dash over to his friend. Just as he was about to move in attempt to get closer, the sight of another figure emerging made him pause. His anger flared, and his eyes narrowed in rage. "Itachi…"

Naruto tensed visibly when the two turned in his direction. Then, as if they knew exactly where he hid, they steadily made their way towards him. He clenched his fists when they finally stopped, only a few meters away from where he hid. He could feel Itachi's cold gaze on him. He had already long been discovered. Slowly, he rose to his feet and faced Itachi and Sasuke.

"Itachi," he snarled viciously, murderous gaze set intently on the taller figure. "I'll kill you for taking Sasuke away."

Itachi merely stared back coolly, completely unaffected by Naruto's threat. They stood silently for a moment, exchanging glares until Naruto finally broke his gaze away to direct at Sasuke.

"Sasuke!" he called out with a bit of desperation in his voice. "You…you probably don't remember me, but I'm your friend! That guy is your enemy! Please believe me…"

Only when Naruto began to take a step towards Sasuke did Itachi smoothly slide his arm out protectively before his brother, kunai in hand. He continued to remain unfazed as the blond turned to glare with complete and utter hatred at him. Itachi kept his gaze fixed on Naruto's eyes, even as the blond similarly drew his weapons.

There would be a fight, as Naruto predicted. He knew he was in a bad position. Itachi had comrades that could come to help if needed while he was alone and had not properly eaten or slept in the last few days. Still, he would fight even of the odds were against him.

Because he needed Sasuke with him.

Just as Naruto prepared to charge and Itachi crouched to prepare for counter action, Sasuke swiftly stepped between them, making both halt in their tracks. Itachi remained expressionless as always whereas Naruto's eyes widened significantly with building anguish.

"_Sasuke_!" Naruto exclaimed again with distress clearly on his face. "Don't you remember me even a little bit? We've been a team—friends—for four years already! Don't you remember? Kakashi-sensei, Sakura-chan, and everyone… They're all waiting for you at home in Konoha!"

Closing his eyes for a moment before opening them with more resolution, Sasuke quietly stated, "Itachi, this guy…let me fight him."

An invisible dagger pierced Naruto's chest with those words. He stared helplessly at his friend as Sasuke stared back evenly with little emotion on his face. Before he could open his mouth to say another word, Naruto felt another stab at his chest when Sasuke turned to face Itachi again.

The two were exchanging silent glances again, but with a deep meaning that even Naruto could understand. Without a word, Itachi lifted his hand to lightly brush across Sasuke's cheeks. Sasuke merely closed his eyes and leaned into the touch until Itachi finally pulled his hand away. Then slowly, he leaned over until he captured Sasuke's lips again.

Naruto could feel his anger, pain, and jealousy boiling together within himself. His temper only flared when Itachi shot a glance at him mere seconds after pulling his lips away from Sasuke's. Fist clenching on his kunai, Naruto snarled while beginning to charge at Itachi, "I won't fight you, Sasuke! But that bastard, I'll definitely kill!"

Itachi stood still, as if he were willing to accept the attack. In another split second, Naruto's kunai crashed with another. His blue eyes widened. Itachi had not raised an arm.

"Sasuke…!"

"I've already said," Sasuke stated darkly as Itachi slowly began to retreat towards the cave.

"I'm the one you're going to fight."

---

Back home in Konoha, Kakashi was packing for his next mission. Reaching for a scroll he had left on the dresser, Kakashi gazed forlornly at the framed photo of their team, Team Seven, that still sat carefully in place beside his old team picture.

Suddenly, the glass of the frame that had so carefully been taken care of previously cracked evenly down the center.

Dropping the scroll he had just picked up, Kakashi turned to gaze distressfully out the window. Wherever Naruto and Sasuke were, he hoped they were safe. Kakashi recognized an omen when he saw one.

This would be the beginning of the end.

Tsuzuku.

---

**A/N:** Lame. Argh. I can't figure out how many more chapters I need to end this. A couple, I think. It's one or two. Then maybe an epilogue if the ending's too vague… Ah, well, there's still time. xP Oh, and I apologize about the delay. I keep thinking that I update but I really don't. -.-; Bad habits.

Thanks for reading! (Review :D)


	8. Final Phase

**Disclaimer:** standards apply

**Pairing:** Itachi x Sasuke, Naruto + Sasuke

**Destiny Rewritten**

_By: yukuro_

**Final Phase:** Destiny Rewritten - His Last Farewell

He was torn. There was no way he could or would fight Sasuke now, yet Naruto could not release his hold on his kunai that was still clashed with Sasuke's. He could only look pleadingly at Sasuke, silently wishing for an explanation why this had to be.

"Sasuke…" Naruto began again, slowly in a tone heavy with depression. His brows were knitted upward as his blue eyes remained fixed on his friend's unmoving stance before him. "You… You really don't remember me? Not even a little?"

Before Naruto, Sasuke glanced over his shoulder briefly to see that Itachi had retreated into the cave before returning his attention to the blond. Seeing Naruto's forlorn expression, Sasuke closed his eyes and stood at ease, letting out a soft sigh.

"What are you doing here, Naruto?"

Naruto's eyes widened by significant degrees as the kunai he was clutching earlier suddenly clattered to the ground. Relief and happiness spilled onto his face, and without warning, he walked swiftly to his friend to pull him into a tight embrace. In a choked voice, he muttered, "Sasuke, you bastard. I can't believe you let me think you had forgotten me. But how? Those other guys said that Itachi erased your memory. How long have you known?"

Sasuke kept his eyes closed and obediently accepted the embrace. He relaxed his body slightly to accommodate his teammate's crushing grip. Quietly, he replied, "He did, but I can't seem to forget you, you idiot. I've known since the time I saw your face."

At that, Naruto could not help but let out a soft laugh of joy. He squeezed a bit harder before pulling away to meet his teammate's gaze. Hastily wiping away the brewing tears of happiness from his eyes, Naruto smiled serenely and sincerely. "I should've known," he said in a tone that was heavy but overjoyed. "I was too hasty to think that you were weak enough to be trapped by that bastard."

Sasuke said nothing in reply, making Naruto's smile fade slightly before the blond doubled his efforts and smiled widely again.

Taking his friend's hand, Naruto tugged slightly before saying firmly, "Let's go home. There's no way I'm going to let you stay here with these people."

Much to Naruto's surprise, Sasuke remained motionless and made no move to follow him despite the firm tugging of his arm. A slight sense of fear began to alert Naruto's senses. It was as he had expected after all. Sasuke would not be able to be brought home without a fight.

"Sasuke…" Naruto began slowly and almost shakily from emotion. Face twisted with anguish, he exclaimed, "You can't be seriously thinking of staying here, can you? I know you wanted to have your family back, but that guy…" Naruto suddenly recalled the flash of Itachi kissing Sasuke while shooting him a sideways glance, only fanning the flames of his anger. Then there was what he had overheard… "Itachi is just using you, Sasuke! Why else would he lie to you and drag you away from your real home to give you some illusion like this? Don't you understand that Konoha is your home? And everyone there…is your family. Everyone's waiting for you. Please don't let the others—don't let me down."

"They're after you, Naruto."

Naruto froze in his motion, turning to shoot Sasuke a puzzled look. Before he could say anything to protest, Sasuke spoke up again.

"That's why I can't go back," Sasuke muttered, gaze evenly meeting Naruto's. "If I go back with you, there's no doubt they'll be back again. Wherever you are, you and everyone else around you will have to live in misery, wondering when they'll show up again in their next plot to steal you away. You should know better than anyone just what happens to a jinchuuriki when they're captured by Akatsuki."

"I don't care if they're after me!" Naruto exploded, startling Sasuke slightly. "You're a bigger idiot than I thought if you really expected me to leave you here to protect myself. I just want you to come home because I can't be without you anymore. Didn't I say so already? I want to see the future with you. Even if Akatsuki comes back again, at least we'll all be together. We can fight back. I'm not that weak to get captured so easily, Sasuke. Besides…life would be more miserable for us if you weren't there."

Then, Sasuke smiled slightly and let out a soft laugh. "You'll always be the same usuratonkachi no matter what I say, won't you?"

"You should know I have a stubborn streak," Naruto replied, offering a weak smile in return.

"You're going to make Sakura cry."

"You idiot," Naruto finally laughed softly. Even though his mouth was curved in a smile, a few tears began to form in his eyes. "You're the one who always makes Sakura-chan cry."

At that moment, Naruto realized how ironic the situation had become. Naruto wanted to bring Sasuke home in order to protect him, and Sasuke wanted to stay to protect him. They were both idiots, really, Naruto thought to himself. It was always like this with them. Even when they had each other's best interests in mind, they would always keep silent about it, and in the end, they would end up arguing and fighting again because neither understood the other's reasoning. The difference this time was though, that they were beginning to understand each other's reasoning, but neither refused to budge on their own decision. Really, they were both such stubborn idiots.

"We never really got along," Sasuke stated quietly, dark eyes blurred as if gazing into the past.

"But we're still friends like this," Naruto supplied, still grinning weakly at his friend. "Sasuke, don't talk like it's the end. Come home with me. Back to Konoha. Back to where you belong."

Sasuke remained silent for a moment before bringing his gaze to meet Naruto's desperate blue one. Slowly and quietly, he asked, "Would that satisfy you? Would it make you happy if I did?"

"Of course," the blond replied instantly, the sense of something bad impending still not leaving his system. "That's all I want. Even if you don't want to see me anymore, please come home."

Naruto braced himself for the worst. He prepared more arguments for reasons why Sasuke _should_ come home while attempting to settle his aching heart in the process. When Sasuke opened his mouth, Naruto stiffened slightly. However, instead of the words he dreaded to hear, the words Sasuke spoke were…

"Fine. I'll go home with you."

The crushing grief that had previously been resting upon Naruto's shoulders suddenly lifted a little. His blue eyes regained their shine and sparkled hopefully at his passive friend. Naruto took a shaky step forward and offered an equally shaky smile. "Sasuke… Will you really…?"

"As long as you promise to be satisfied," Sasuke stated clearly, gazing back at Naruto's desperate blue gaze evenly. "No matter what may happen in the future."

"Of course!" Naruto instantly replied, sounding almost offended at the thought of Sasuke distrusting him. "I don't care what happens to me in the future as long as you come home again. Sasuke, I—"

"I know."

Unable to bear it any longer, Naruto quickly strode up to Sasuke, closing whatever distance they had left between them and wrapped his arms around the dark haired teen. Squeezing his eyes shut, Naruto rested his head on his friend's shoulder. "I'm sorry," he muttered, "about the argument before you left. I was…really worried."

Sasuke allowed the blond to embrace him for a moment as he let his head fall back to gaze up at the darkening sky. The storm clouds were still there and showed no signs of letting up. If only Naruto had noticed. Sasuke closed his eyes again and bowed his head forward. He slowly took a step backwards and put a sliver of space between himself and the other boy. As he pulled his hands together to form a hand seal, he whispered in apology, "I'm sorry too, Naruto."

Before Naruto even had time to react, his body suddenly grew heavy and began to shut down. His consciousness was beginning to slip away. Eyes widening, Naruto stared bewildered up at Sasuke. "Genjutsu? Sasuke, _why_?"

"I said I would go home with you," Sasuke began quietly, eyes drifting to the side as he found it increasingly difficult to return Naruto's gaze, "but I never promised to stay."

"Don't do this!" Naruto protested, focusing all of his strength on fighting the increasing power of genjutsu that bound him. He suddenly cursed himself vehemently. He always had been weakest against genjutsu. Before his arm could reach out for Sasuke again, it fell limp at his side again. His eyelids were growing increasingly heavy and the image of Sasuke standing before him began to grow dark. Before his consciousness could completely slip away, he attempted to explain once again, "Sasuke, the real reason you're here… You'll be made Itachi's successor in Akatsuki, b-because… Itachi is…"

Sasuke stiffened, eyes widening slightly as Naruto's lips formed the last words of his sentence before completely falling under the influence of genjutsu, collapsing down to the floor as he went. Sasuke tightened his fists as he gazed over his shoulder at the cave. He squeezed his eyes shut and turned back to face Naruto, who, even while trapped in genjutsu and with his eyes closed, still seemed to be gazing forlornly at him. Slowly, Sasuke knelt on the floor and pulled Naruto up again.

"Idiot," Sasuke muttered in desolation as he pulled his unconscious friend into one final embrace. "Why did you have to tell me something like that?"

"_Itachi is…going blind."_

* * *

"Sasuke-kun just left," Kisame informed Itachi as he returned from watching the two's interaction. The shark-like man let out a sigh as Itachi continued to stare blankly at the wall. "Itachi-san, I'm starting to doubt whether or not this is a good idea." 

Itachi remained silent, making Kisame press his lips into a deep frown. His unresponsiveness worried Kisame. After all, the shark-like man had been with his partner long enough to distinguish the different types of silence Itachi went through. This one had to be the worst kind of silence of all—despaired.

"Well," Kisame sighed, folding his arms. "I know Sasuke-kun will come back, but aren't you worried about whether or not he'll remember all those memories you suppressed? We can't stay long either. Everyone else has already departed for the new base."

Again, Itachi answered with blank silence as he stared emotionlessly at the wall ahead of him.

After studying Itachi's expression for a short time, Kisame finally began to understand. "You don't want him to come back, do you?" the taller man asked aloud to the air since he knew Itachi would not respond anyway. "That's why you entrusted your dear little brother to his jinchuuriki friend."

At this, Itachi finally twitched. He closed his eyes and stated in an overly calm voice, "It's his destiny to fight me."

"Sasuke-kun isn't one to let himself be ruled by destiny," Kisame replied bluntly. "After he remembers all the things you've done, I don't know what will happen either, but I think you're underestimating how your brother feels about you. You're his only brother, and in the time he spent here, I think he realized that. Even if he hates you, you two are brothers. That can't really be changed."

Itachi immediately returned to silence.

"Don't think I haven't figured out yet the reason you kept him alive all these years," Kisame stated gruffly, voice slightly harsh in comparison to the polite tone he usually used to address his partner. "You need him because you can't stop yourself. You need him to kill you."

"You should learn your place," Itachi snapped, voice deadly as venom. His sharingan flashed dangerously at Kisame's equally irritated face. Their gazes held for a few moments, flashing daggers at each other, until Kisame finally submitted with a light growl under his breath.

"I only said those things because I like Sasuke-kun," Kisame declared firmly as Itachi's sharingan disappeared and now black eyes returned to their fixed position on the wall. As a side note, he added, "And I don't think it's good for you to be overusing those. You know how your power is getting out of control. At this rate, you'll have less than a month. We'll leave in an hour."

With that reminder thrown in the air, Kisame departed and left Itachi alone.

* * *

Kakashi was just stepping out of the gate for his mission when they arrived. Sasuke was carrying an unconscious Naruto—a sight that somehow instantly set off alarms in Kakashi's head. The man approached his former students cautiously, eye catching Sasuke's lifeless gaze. 

"I promised I would come home with him," Sasuke muttered, unconsciously hugging Naruto a bit closer as Kakashi approached them. "He said he would be content with that."

"I don't think this is what he had in mind," Kakashi replied seriously, taking Naruto from Sasuke's trembling arms. He didn't need to ask to understand what Sasuke was planning on doing. "Sasuke, when he said he wanted you to come home, he really did mean he wanted you to stay. Do you really think a stubborn idiot like Naruto will really be happy when he wakes up to discover you're not there anymore? It's the same as not coming at all."

"I didn't ask for him to come after me," Sasuke stated coldly, piercing gaze directed up at Kakashi's visible eye. "I didn't want him to come after me. I didn't want to see him again. But," his gaze grew soft again as he let out a bitter laugh, "I should've know that this usuratonkachi would never learn."

"You don't have to go back," the older man said quietly, eyebrow knitting upwards in desperate hope. "Sasuke, you should know better than anyone how cruel Itachi can be. Even so, why…?"

"Only I can kill him."

Kakashi stiffened when these words spilled from Sasuke's lips. He wished there was someway he could convince Sasuke to give up on revenge. After all these years and all that had happened, why did he always have to burden himself with these feelings? Kakashi hated being unable to protect Sasuke all the time. Sasuke, his precious student, his protégé, his treasured comrade.

But Kakashi couldn't help or save him even though he desperately wished he could. No one could help him. No one could save him. Only Sasuke could do that for himself.

"Kakashi," Sasuke muttered quietly as he took a step backwards, eyes cast down to the ground, "I…really am sorry. Please tell Sakura too. Naruto will never forgive me. It's better that way."

"He won't let you go," Kakashi called through gritted teeth as Sasuke continued to back away. "He won't give up. That's Naruto's character. And Sasuke, you should already know…that's my nature too."

"That's why," Sasuke muttered, sparing a bitter grin up at the man, "I already apologized, you idiot."

And without another word, Sasuke disappeared before Kakashi's eyes.

* * *

His mind refused to function. His instincts were guiding his actions. The trees were zipping by beside him, melting together into a blur with his speed. He was returning. It seemed irrational and too foolish to the point of pure and utter stupidity, but he was still returning. He had to find the answer to the question he had been wondering ever since it all started. Sasuke had to know why Itachi had planned this in the first place. 

When the familiar cave came into view, Sasuke's mind had already turned blank and his emotions had dissipated. This would be the end. This would be the end. This would be the end. Why did that thought sudden cause such horrible pain in his chest. This would be the end. This is what he had always wanted. This would be his opportunity to finally end his pain.

Stepping into the cave silently, Sasuke walked straight ahead in search for Itachi. No one else was present in the hideout, but Sasuke had not noticed. He only continued to wander blindly, rage and confusion fueling his pace, until he finally found the person he was seeking.

Itachi was facing the opposite direction, eyes transfixed on the rocky wall before him. He did not need to turn around to realize who had come. Darkly quiet, he asked, "Why did you come back? Foolish little brother."

"Isn't it obvious?" Sasuke replied in a tone that matched his brother's. Lowering his head slightly, he silently reached down and shakily took a kunai into his hand. Jaw and fist simultaneously tightening, Sasuke stated aloud, "I came back to kill you."

Itachi was not surprised. He had been expecting this after all. He closed his eyes and waited as Sasuke's slow rhythm of footsteps sounded louder, making their way towards where he sat. Finally, Sasuke stopped. Itachi could feel his younger brother's slightly raspy breathing on the back of his neck. He remained motionless.

"Why did you bring me here?" Sasuke asked through gritted teeth, raising his kunai directly up to Itachi's neck, close enough so that a faint line of blood was becoming visible. "The real reason this time."

Silence.

"Tell me!" Sasuke exploded, fist shaking heavily as he did so. Itachi still had not turned around or even moved in the slightest. "Why did you do this to me, Itachi?"

"I never lied," Itachi stated frankly, still not turning around to face his brother. "Selfishness."

"Your eyes," the younger boy began, attempting to calm his shaking voice and fist, "are they really…getting worse?"

"Power is not always a blessing," Itachi replied calmly and smoothly. "Even the greatest power must be stopped at some point."

Sasuke finally realized something. The last time he had seen Itachi before the present encounter had occurred, the strength of his brother's mangekyou sharingan eyes were still at their max. They seemed unstoppable, as if they had no weakness. This development was far too sudden…

"You did it to yourself," Sasuke muttered darkly, lowering his head until his bangs shaded his eyes. "You disabled your own eyes. _Why_?"

"Because you weren't strong enough to stop me yet."

"That's…" Sasuke began slowly, frustration in his voice. Slowly, his head lowered along with his shaking fist. "If you were just going to do this, then _why_ did everything in the past have to happen the way it did? Were everyone's lives gone to waste? I don't understand what you're thinking! If you were just going to do this…! Why…did you leave me all alone?"

"You should already know," Itachi replied quietly, finally turning to gaze blankly down at the downcast teen. "It's your destiny to fight me. I was created as your obstacle to measure your strength. This is the only way to awaken your true potential."

"You idiot," Sasuke snapped aloud, making his kunai rise back to its place beside Itachi's neck. Anger was clouded in his eyes, making it difficult to see straight. The sight of Itachi before him was blurred, but Sasuke could imagine it must have been clearer than the way Itachi saw his form. This thought only made his anger boil more. Lifting his other hand to steady the kunai he held in his first, Sasuke cursed under his breath while struggling with his conflicting emotions.

This was what he had lived for until now. This was his greatest ambition. This was…

Destiny.

"Come, Sasuke."

Sasuke could almost laugh. This was not the way he had envisioned things. He had always seen this moment differently. He would be towering over Itachi after a hard-fought battle with nothing but satisfaction and fulfillment flowing through him. This was not the way it was supposed to be. But then, he made his decision.

In one quick motion, Sasuke swung forward. Itachi instantly stepped out of the way, but Sasuke swung his other arm forward, just barely managing to grip the edge of the collar of Itachi's coat. Without warning, he pulled his older brother towards him and let their lips crash together in one final kiss of desperation. Then, he pulled back and slashed the dark figure in half.

There was nothing but silence between Sasuke's disconnected pants.

Itachi was surprised. His eyes widened as he stared in shock at his darkly glowering younger brother. This was definitely not what he predicted.

His coat had been torn off and sliced in half.

"From now on, you're dead," Sasuke declared, standing upright. He slowly closed his eyes before opening them again, taking a step forward as he did so. His shaking fingers finally opened and released the kunai he had been so desperately gripping onto the ground. The sound of the metal clashing against the stone never sounded because the kunai had dropped neatly on top of Itachi's torn coat.

"What's the meaning of this?" Itachi demanded in a soft tone as Sasuke steady made his way towards him. "Sasuke, you…"

"It's been a long time, so maybe you forgot some things about me," Sasuke stated rather darkly as he came to a halt before the older boy. Resolutely, he lifted his eyes and stared determinedly at Itachi. "I write my own destiny."

"You won't have another chance," Itachi muttered as Sasuke pulled him downwards. "You should know what plans are in store for you."

"Shut up," Sasuke snapped as he embraced his older brother at the neck, eyes squeezed shut almost in pain. "Didn't I already say? I write my own destiny."

"Your destiny has already been written," Itachi replied quietly, gazing over Sasuke's shoulder at the far stone wall. That, however, did not stop his arms from slowing finding their familiar place around Sasuke's waist.

Sasuke slowly licked the trail of blood he had caused on his brother's neck. Feeling the grip around his body tighten again, Sasuke closed his eyes and let out a dark sounding laugh before drawing close again to cradle Itachi's bowed head like a well-loved doll that was in danger of breaking.

"I'll just have to rewrite it then."

* * *

Sasuke was smiling. 

If that was what he had seen in his dream, Naruto wondered why there were still tears in his eyes when he finally opened them, blurring the sight of the ceiling that greeted him. Sakura was asleep at the edge of the bed, and Kakashi was leaning against the wall near the door, gazing intently at him. Then, Naruto remembered where he was and just what had happened.

As he slowly sat up, Sakura stirred and instantly bolted upright. Tears welled in her green eyes as she instantly leaned forward to pull the despaired Naruto into a tight embrace. She whispered softly, "I'm so sorry, Naruto…"

"I saw him smiling," Naruto muttered, staring down at his hands as they slowly balled into fists. "In that genjutsu… We were all here together again. Sasuke was with us and he was happy… If he made me see something like that, why did he leave again?"

Before Sakura could say anything in consolation, Kakashi stood upright and stepped forward with a troubled look on his face. "Naruto," he began seriously, "this is what we were all afraid of. This is why we didn't want you to leave here. Admittedly, just to see Sasuke come back here at all was like a miracle to me."

"I can't let him stay there," Naruto declared firmly, clenching his fists so tightly that his nails began to draw blood. "Not for a reason like the one he gave me. I'll never give up."

At that point, both Sakura and Kakashi realized that no matter what they could possibly say to the blond would create no difference. Naruto was determined, and now there was no way he could be stopped. Even if he had a long road of anguish before him, he would not hesitate in taking the next step forward.

"Because," Naruto muttered, gazing out the window up at the sky, almost as if he were speaking directly to Sasuke, "that's the kind of person I am."

The next day Naruto returned to the Akatsuki base he had found previously, but it had already been abandon.

It seemed the first step on the road of anguish had only just been taken.

Owari.

* * *

**A/N:** …that was painful to write. I mean in the sense that it was _painfully tricky_. Hence, the long period of time I spent writing it. Eh… Yes, I apologize for the wait. This is actually the end! Are you surprised? I had it planned like this since the beginning…I just happened to throw in a lot of unnecessary chapters (ah, I admit it!). I'm presently considering an **Epilogue** though. Anyone interested?

Other than that, thanks for reading Destiny Rewritten! Hope you enjoyed it!


	9. Epilogue

**Disclaimer:** Meh.  
**Pairing:** Naruto + Sasuke, Implied Itachi x Sasuke

**Destiny Rewritten**

_By: yukuro_

**Epilogue:** New Promises

The heat was sweltering that night in Konoha Gakure. The various night lights illuminated the village streets, lighting the way for Sakura as she made her way down the streets towards Naruto's apartment. Three years had passed since they had last seen the third member of their original Team Seven, and despite all the grief and difficulties throughout the time in between, they were somehow getting by. Naruto always regarded everyone with a smile, but Sakura had learned better about her teammate. The instant he turned around, the sorrow and pain of Sasuke's absence consumed him yet again.

Just as she raised her hand to knock on the door, a loud crash sounded from the inside of the apartment, followed by a string of exclamations of frustration accompanied by a rather melodious laugh. Blinking, Sakura let her hand fall to her side again before letting her lips shift into a brief frown. Finally, she sighed and mentally prepared herself for whatever was on the other side of the door as she pushed the door open.

"Damn it, Sai!" Naruto was exclaiming in frustration, vigorously rubbing his blond head as he stared helplessly at his scroll-cluttered floor. "I have to organize those and turn in tomorrow! Why'd you have go and knock them over?"

Standing off to the side at the edge of the pile of scrolls was Sai, who was carrying a bulk of Naruto's weapons, cloak, and hitai-ate, likely because Naruto had dumped them on him after returning from their mission since he had been forced to carrying what seemed like a year supply of scrolls. Smirking, the dark haired teen commented offhandedly, lifting his hands up in a surrender-type position while still managing to support the load he carried, "I didn't do anything, Naruto-kun. You knocked them off the table yourself."

Sakura let a brief laugh from her position at the door, making her presence known to the two boys in the room. Seeing her, Naruto instantly stood up a bit straighter and shot a sideways glare at Sai before directing a sheepish expression at the girl. "S-Sakura-chan… What are you doing here?"

At that instant, Sakura felt like throwing something at her teammate's head. She frowned deeply and made her way through the sea of scrolls to grip Naruto by the collar. She lowered him to her eyelevel and glared for a full ten seconds, apparently intending on scaring the blond senseless.

Sai was finding the entire situation rather amusing so he remained silent off to the side to observe. He had finally managed to adjust to becoming a replacement in their team after various instances of fights and disagreements on all three parties. At first, the dislike that had settled between Sai and Naruto seemed to be unable to be lifted, but they had somehow managed to understand each other, particularly after their failed attempt to scout for the missing Uchiha Sasuke. At the present, although he would not admit it, Sai would do anything to protect Naruto's happiness. That was a secret though.

"You. Are. An. I-d-i-o-t. _Idiot_, Naruto!"

Naruto stared at the girl in confusion before shifting his gaze to gaze bewilderedly at Sai, who merely shrugged in amusement. Finally getting Sakura to release her iron grip on his collar, Naruto took a wary step back and continued to stare at his female teammate with wide, confused eyes. Immediately, he began with the excuses, "I've been gone on a mission for the last three days with Sai, so whatever it is you think I've done, I swear I didn't do it!"

"Tomorrow's your nineteenth birthday, you idiot," Sakura declared fumingly, neatly kicking up one of Naruto's scrolls before punching it directly at the blond. "How could you forget something like that?"

Catching the flying scroll in a panic, Naruto retorted, "_Sakura-chan_! Could you be a little gentler with these? Tsunade no baa-chan will kill me if I turn these in ruined!"

"I think you've missed her point, Naruto-kun," Sai commented with one of those smiles he always had plastered on his face as Sakura let out a sigh of aggravation.

After placing the scroll safely on the kitchen counter, Naruto rubbed the back of his neck in a slight fluster of embarrassment. "Yeah, well," he began to admit with reddening cheeks, "I actually kind of forgot. It's not that big of a deal anyway."

"This coming from the person who obsesses about celebrating for everyone else," Sakura stated dryly, folding her arms and raising an eyebrow. "Think of that over-elaborate plan you made for Neji-san's last birthday."

"It was good to see him that flustered in humiliation, naa, Sai?" Naruto asked with a devious grin as he glanced over his shoulder at the other boy.

"You shouldn't say that when he nearly hospitalized you for that one," Sai replied cheerfully, placing Naruto's cloak on the counter beside the scrolls. He tossed the blond back his headband before continuing, "Although, I do suppose it was rather amusing."

"We'll have to have a huge party," Sakura said aloud, although mostly to herself as Naruto let out a groan and sank down into the chair Sai offered him before dropping his head soundly on the table without bothering to put his headband back on. Ignoring his interruption, Sakura went on, "And we'll have to invite everyone too. It's a good time since everyone just returned from their various missions."

Before Naruto could open his mouth to say something, an urgent knock sounded at the door before Shikamaru barged in breathless and with a somewhat paler face than usual. Naruto instantly rose to his feet and gazed questioningly at his friend, waiting to hear the reason for the sudden intrusion.

Slowly, Shikamaru evened his breathing before announcing quietly, "We've found the whereabouts of Uchiha Sasuke's location with Akatsuki."

Neither Sakura nor Sai managed to get a word in before Naruto dashed out of the door towards Tsunade's office. The two could only exchange concerned glances as Shikamaru sighed and slipped back out again, mumbling an announcement for his departure as he went.

Suddenly, the trouble had started all over again.

* * *

He barely wasted any time in Tsunade's office after hearing the details from the irritated blond woman. The very second Sakura and Sai arrived outside of the Hokage's office, Naruto was bursting out again, hardly giving them a second's worth of time to catch up with him. Just as the two began to pursue their newly determined teammate, Tsunade called to them from her desk.

"Whatever happens," she stated firmly in a tone of complete seriousness, "you must bring Naruto back safely. That boy's inextinguishable passion may end up hurting him in the end."

After an obedient nod and salute from both, the two departed at top speed after Naruto, who was already straying far ahead of them. They found no words to say to each other, even when they finally managed to catch up to Naruto. They only managed to exchange glances briefly before they settled their gaze forward again, allowing Naruto to guide them to wherever he aimed to go.

They traveled in silence for most of the time. An entire night had passed and they had been traveling nonstop. The sun was already beginning to rise over the mountains, but Naruto showed no signs of slowing down. The tense atmosphere Naruto had established managed to keep both Sai and Sakura silent. Only when the blond finally come to a stop did Sakura speak up.

"What's wrong, Naruto?" she asked as she came to a halt beside him after leaping off the tree to stand on firm ground again. "Why did you stop?"

Naruto said nothing at first and only gazed ahead at some unknown point in the forest before them. After a few moments of silence, he slowly took a few steps forward and fixed his gaze up at a tall tree that rose into the sky. Before Sakura or Sai could ask any questions, he called out firmly, "Come out. I know you're there."

There was no reaction for a few painful moments, but after they had passed, a dark blur leaped down from the tree and came to stand before them. Sakura's first instinct was shout out in fury, but instead her eyes quickly darted to Naruto to see his reaction. Sai's eyes had narrowed on the other side of Naruto. As for Naruto, he was shaking slightly, his eyes filled to the brim with unbearable sadness and blazing fury.

With a familiar shark man dropping down beside the lone figure before them, Sakura finally burst. "Uchiha Itachi! Hoshigaki Kisame!"

The figure before them lifted his face slightly, only allowing the slight of his eyes to be shown between the top of his cloak and the brim of his straw hat. Beside him, Kisame began to laugh out loud, making the three across from him freeze.

With a great degree of humor in his voice, Kisame tapped his companion's shoulder and grinned. Laughing yet again, he commented, "The power of blood resemblance is really something, isn't it, Sasuke-kun?"

"W-What?" Sakura muttered in disbelief, taking a step back. The figure before them who was accompanying Hoshigaki Kisame and wearing the trademark Akatsuki cloak was not Itachi, but Sasuke? She quickly gazed over at Naruto in a desperate attempt to see how he was reacting.

Surprisingly, Naruto's expression had not changed. It was as if he had known all along.

"I didn't expect to see you again, Naruto," Sasuke called, finally removing the straw hat that concealed his face. Sure enough, his resemblance to his older brother had truly strengthened. If not for the distinguishing long hair that Itachi had and Sasuke lacked, anyone would have assumed from a distance that it was indeed Itachi before them. Even their blazing red sharingan seemed to hold the same air.

Naruto stiffened visibly, as if bound suddenly by an unseen force. His expression grew weary with emotion, but he was unable to tear his eyes away. Then, something shocking happened.

"I suppose I owe you an apology," Sasuke stated, eyes fixed directly on Naruto.

He was smiling. Sasuke was smiling.

"I can't take any more tricks like this," Naruto muttered, shaking his head and squeezing his eyes closed. "Why do you have to do this, Sasuke? Before too. Even though you already know… You know I can't be happy if you're not here!"

"Kakashi already warned me about that last time we met," Sasuke stated coolly, not letting his eyes slip away from Naruto's. "As usual, you're still the same usuratonkachi."

Just as Sakura opened her mouth to say something, Naruto dashed forward, making the girl instinctively make a grab for her weapons in case a fight were to break out. Both Sasuke and Kisame made no move as Naruto sped towards them, and when the blond finally reached them…

Naruto hugged him. Desperately. And Sasuke simply closed his eyes and accepted it.

Kisame did not seem too surprised, as he grinned toothily with a devilish expression at the shocked Sakura and Sai. No words were spoken between any of them. Naruto could only desperately clutch his long lost friend tighter.

"I looked everywhere for you," he muttered in a choked voice that was fighting to keep his drowning emotions down. "You bastard. I really looked everywhere! Why didn't you let me find you?"

"Because I didn't want to be found," Sasuke replied logically, still not bothering to push Naruto away. Expression growing slightly fonder and his arms rising slightly in response to Naruto's tightening grip, he muttered, "As I expected, you're still as slow as always."

Sakura slowly dropped her defensive stance as her eyes grew hazy. She rubbed at them vigorously to hide her welling tears. Beside her, Sai was silent and showed no sense of reaction on his face.

"Sasuke-kun always did have a soft spot for Naruto-kun," Kisame sighed loudly, folding his arms. "As touching as this reunion is, we can't stay in one spot for too long, Sasuke-kun. You should know."

"Where's Itachi?" Sakura suddenly demanded after coming to realization that there was something seriously wrong with the present scene although her heart had been completely filled.

As if just realizing this for the first time as well, Naruto broke away and stared wide-eyed at his friend. "That's right," he agreed, not releasing his grip on Sasuke's shoulders. "Itachi that bastard… Where is he?"

"That's not a nice thing to say about Itachi-san," Kisame commented irritably from the side, but completely ignored.

Sasuke was silent for a moment, but finally stated stonily, "He's dead."

Shock and disbelief covered Naruto's face. Tightening his grip on Sasuke's shoulders, he asked in disbelief, "Itachi's dead? You killed him?"

"Yes."

Silence and tension spread throughout the small group. Naruto's hands shook with emotion and he felt like embracing Sasuke again, but something about the dark haired teen's expression seemed off. Sakura could sense it too. Despite his words, Sasuke was still hiding something.

"You're lying," Sai said finally, speaking for the first time since they left the village. He had one of his fake smiles fixed expertly on his face as he directed his accusing gaze that was full of ice and hatred at Sasuke. "To trick Naruto-kun with your lies, I don't know if I can forgive you."

Confused, Naruto studied Sasuke's expression. "Sasuke, is he right?"

Sasuke merely stared directly back at the blond.

"In a sense," Kisame replied gruffly, making Naruto snap his head in the shark man's direction. "To Akatsuki, he's definitely dead. But for us, he's the reason we're in trouble."

Settled in even more confusion, Naruto slowly questioned, "What…do you mean?"

Since Sasuke was still committed to silence, Kisame began to explain rather impatiently, "Sasuke-kun has already succeeded Itachi-san in Akatsuki. For someone in a criminal organization, he really did try hard to keep them out of Konoha and away from you, Naruto-kun," Kisame commented with a rather dry laugh. "In any case, Itachi-san was still to strong for them and for him not to be a member of the organization anymore… Let's just say we're renegades now."

"He's already lost his sight completely, hasn't he?" Naruto asked gravely, expression hardening when Kisame's somewhat amused expression confirmed his suspicions.

"I definitely can't come home anymore," Sasuke stated frankly. "Konoha is not the type of place to house criminals."

"You just say that because you can't leave Itachi alone. You still want to be with him," Naruto replied sorrowfully. "You know that we would accept you no matter who you are."

Sasuke let out a rather bitter laugh. Still, he used a tender tone to speak to his friend, "No, Naruto, that's only you. Sorry, but we'll have to say goodbye again. Naruto, let me go."

"There's no way I can do that…!"

"Naruto-kun," Sai said sharply and sternly, surprising the blond. Once he captured the other boy's attention, he let his expression soften slightly. "For now, there's nothing we can do. Bringing him back now means waging war with Akatsuki. That's not something the village can handle at this time."

"But…!" Naruto began to protest, gazing helplessly between his comrades.

"He's right," Kisame stated with a shrug. "If this weren't for Sasuke-kun, I wouldn't bother helping you, but if you go back now, you'll be safe, Naruto-kun. They'll be busy coming after us for a while."

"There's no way I could do that!" Naruto exclaimed, eyes growing wide. "If I do that, it'll be the same as last time! I would be putting Sasuke in danger to keep myself safe again! How can I let something like that happen?"

"Naruto," Sasuke called sternly, making the distraught blond direct his gaze at him again. "You are…my closest friend. If I can't protect you, there's no more point."

"You're always so selfish," Naruto accused, lowering his head as a few angry tears escaped. "Sasuke…! I don't care what happens! You have to come back! Even if you won't have Itachi anymore, I'll always be here! Sakura-chan and the others too! We'll always be your family too!"

Sasuke closed his eyes and slowly took a step away from his comrades as Kisame prepared to depart again.

"Sasuke!" Naruto called, just before the dark haired teen began to retreat into the forest again. Eyes determined, Naruto declared firmly, "When I become Hokage, I will definitely make it safe for you to return. So at that time…please… Please come back home with me!"

As if taking a moment to debate, Sasuke fixed his dark eyes on Naruto's confident ones. Finally, Sasuke closed his eyes, a faint trail of a smile tracing his lips as he turned towards the trees again.

"Aa. Fine. Consider it a birthday promise. Until then, Naruto."

In the center of the forest, where there previously stood five, the number again reduced to three, and the one in the center had his determination renewed.

Saigo no Owari.

* * *

**A/N:** I'm truly sorry I waited until forever to post this. You can probably tell the timeframe in which I finished this just by reading it. Heh. (Basically, I finished this when Sai just had his godly Naruto-cult-conversion. XD) Actually, the thought of Sai's new reverence for Naruto is kind of touching, I think. But anyway, that's not the point of this epilogue! It's just to show that Sasuke, although he may be with Itachi now, is still thinking of Naruto of course. My inner SasuNaru fangirl calls to me. 

In any case, I also want to take this moment to thank all of you wonderful readers/reviewers. You've all helped me finally finish this piece of junk. Thank you all for your support! (Especially those who took time to write out long and thoughtful reviews. I _definitely_ love you guys!) It really is readers that create the writer. x3 Thank you all again!


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